Public Safety committee  Yes.

Public Safety committee  It is similar, except that, in the case of indigenous offenders, of course, the elders take part in delivering the services and the programs. So that is a difference. Moreover, the programs have been developed in collaboration with the elders. So there are more cultural aspects,

Public Safety committee  No. Once again, there are large gaps in outcomes between indigenous and non-indigenous offenders. The law also requires us to address the specific needs of indigenous offenders, which we do. Also, of course, indigenous offenders come to us with their social background, culture an

Public Safety committee  Offenders who are classified maximum security go to a maximum security institution, and there are programs offered there as well. In terms of our programs, we have what we call the aboriginal integrated correctional program model. It's a multi-target program. Earlier we used to

Public Safety committee  In prisons we have all sorts of gangs, but in the prairie region I would say it's mostly street gangs. The names are horrible, like Terror Squad.

Public Safety committee  Yes, they exist in the community and they exist within our institutions.

Public Safety committee  The largest proportion...?

Public Safety committee  Are you talking about gangs?

Public Safety committee  Clearly, the initiatives that Ms. Connidis mentioned complement what we are trying to do. The offenders we deal with have received sentences of two years or more, most of the time for serious crimes. In our institutions, offenders are still well supported. With indigenous offen

Public Safety committee  When the director general of aboriginal initiatives goes to some of the colleges, she is extremely passionate about what she does. There is one in Prince George, I believe, that's mostly centred on aboriginal people. People get interested. I think there are some people who apply

Public Safety committee  Larry is the expert on classification.

Public Safety committee  When I was in the Pacific region, at Kwikwèxwelhp, the relationship we had with the Sts'ailes community was excellent. The community, I believe, had the capacity to deal with some of the challenges. You're quite right: there is absolutely no question that there needs to be some

Public Safety committee  Currently, 9.5% of our employees, our staff, have self-identified as being indigenous peoples. That's above the workforce availability estimate of 6.2%. In terms of aboriginal staff, we have approximately 140 elders that we contract with. We have aboriginal liaison officers, abo

Public Safety committee  Right now we have healing lodges in B.C., the prairie region, and the Quebec region.

Public Safety committee  Again, we continue to engage indigenous communities. If they express an interest, we work with them. Maybe Mrs. Connidis wants to talk about this aspect. She mentioned that with the communities it's often a question of willingness and capacity and having the supports that are in