Public Safety committee  There has been success in sectors other than prisons that point to the fact that this kind of financing can allow innovation to take place in ways that straight government funding is more difficult. Based on my experience in British Columbia, there is justification for the federa

Public Safety committee  Yes, I would agree, with the one caveat being that the Peterborough approach developed after about eight to ten years of social finance focused energy within Great Britain to develop that sector. Lottery funds had been transferred to a trust to support it. The infrastructure was

Public Safety committee  As I think I tried to point out, there's a lot of activity in my department, and I wish I knew it all. I'm familiar with that program at a high level in terms of engaging youth in the downtown eastside in street employment options. I'm currently serving on the board of the Portla

Public Safety committee  Why don't I go first. I was just speaking about how primary the development of social finance is in this area, so that if in fact there were a growth of a private investment approach around these issues, a social investment approach, it would take a long time to develop, and ther

Public Safety committee  Big surprise: I'm going to agree with James. I think we're going to talk about some demonstration projects, in fact, hopefully a number of them in various areas, and should they be successful.... Again, it is too early to worry about private capital replacing government investm

Public Safety committee  James, I'll just jump in. There are a number of national tables we spoke to that have been set up that could take on a responsibility to coordinate and share best practices and best outcomes in a way that keeps a national focus, rather than allowing it to be a series of one-off e

Public Safety committee  James, do you want to go first?

Public Safety committee  Absolutely.

Public Safety committee  Yes, broadly speaking, I think absolutely there is plenty of opportunity for improvement. As a taxpayer in Canada, I would appreciate a greater level of success and better outcomes, and would welcome that kind of approach.

Public Safety committee  Let me clarify my remarks. I'm not skeptical about social finance or community investment as an approach to resolve a lack of access to capital within a community. I tried to make clear that I think that can be quite successful. There hasn't been a huge amount of experience o

Public Safety committee  Yes, I think that in this kind of early action you're going to have to figure out how to de-risk it enough to attract investors. Whether it's as Mr. Tansey says or another mechanism, there are various ways to reduce the risk, at least for first actors.

Public Safety committee  Again, I don't know enough about criminal justice to venture an opinion on that.

Public Safety committee  It hasn't been my experience. TD Bank was our biggest investor in Vermont. They had over $75 million invested with Housing Vermont. My experience is that private financial institutions and private corporations, given the opportunity, are looking for ways to move into this kind

Public Safety committee  Yes, whether it's enhanced reputation or honest engagement with their community. Again, these financial institutions, whether we say it or not.... I hate the term “social licence”, but they have a guarantee from the federal government for the depositors. That's a big subsidy. Peo

Public Safety committee  There's always a concern that in innovation you have a retreat away from critical government services. In the case of prisons, I don't see it as being as big a risk.