Mr. Chair, before I start, I'd like to remind elected officials of the purpose of conditional release itself. It is to “contribute to the maintenance of a just, peaceful and safe society by means of decisions on the timing and conditions of release that will best facilitate the rehabilitation of offenders and their reintegration into the community as law-abiding citizens”. The paramount consideration in all board decisions is the protection of the public.
This bill will amend the Corrections and Conditional Release Act to specifically stipulate that Correctional Service Canada will advise the board prior to an offender's release that the offender has tested positive in a urinalysis or has refused or failed to provide a urine sample. This has been in practice for some time; however, now it will be the law. Of course that law has to be taken into consideration, just as section 100 of the act is regarding the purpose and principles of conditional release.