I think nobody doubts the fact or the seriousness of the situation and where the men might be. It's certainly a course of action they have taken. I would like to draw the committee's attention to the fact that there is a formal redress process that presently exists, and it's a three-step grievance process that the members do have, and it can take place. What this member is suggesting is changing the Kingston immigration holding facility correction officers' mandate, which is something that can certainly be done by legislative means or by a change in policy, or a change in program considerations. The fact of the matter is there is a process in place that they're meant to follow, and they also have to choose certain courses of action.
They have taken, for instance, an action in the court by way of an application to have the conditions they are facing in the centre addressed, and specifically with reference to all of the issues they raise now, by way of their hunger strike. That court has not yet made a decision on that. They have a number of options as to where they can go, and I would suggest that the appropriate option would be through the system as it now is, or through the court process, which they have initiated. And the decision to stay on a hunger strike is one that they make in the midst of other processes. At least while that application is in process, I think the minister is quite correct in saying that this application will be determined in due course, and he ought not comment specifically on that, excepting to allow it to go through.
Secondly, the appropriate place that this may have been raised is in the committee before the Minister of Public Safety. The member has also raised this issue in the House by way of a question period question that has been responded to by the minister, and has also raised it as a point of emergency debate in the House, and the Speaker ruled that it's not in that circumstance and the application was denied.
I think the issue of whether they remain or not in their current situation is one they determine, and I think it's appropriate that the process that has been commenced is at least allowed to go to a conclusion.
Thank you, Mr. Chairman.