Thank you, I'll proceed quickly then.
There is little doubt that the presence of illicit drugs and alcohol in federal prisons is a major safety and security challenge. The smuggling and trafficking of illicit substances and the diversion of legal drugs inside federal penitentiaries present inherent risks that ultimately jeopardize the safety and security of institutions and the people who live and work inside them. I commend the committee for taking on this very important and complex review.
I am pleased to be joined today, as you noted, by the executive director of my office, Dr. Ivan Zinger. Dr. Zinger will speak to the role of my office as an ombudsman for federal offenders and he will reference some of the emerging data and research in this area of corrections.
I'll then provide some reflections on how the anti-drug strategy of the Correctional Service of Canada is working or not, and point to some forward directions for reform.
Dr. Zinger.