Good morning, Mr. Chair and members of the committee. I am pleased to have the opportunity to appear before you today to discuss proposed Bill C-10 and its anticipated effects on the Correctional Service of Canada.
As you are aware, Bill C-10 comprises a number of bills that were introduced in the previous session of Parliament. As I expect the greatest impact on my organization's operations will come from the elements of Bill C-10 related to former Bill C-39, I will focus my remarks on this area. However, I will respond to any questions committee members may have regarding other elements of Bill C-10.
In 2007 the external CSC review panel released its final report, “A Road Map to Strengthening Public Safety”. This report contained 109 recommendations on how CSC could transform its operations and administration to better manage a complex and diverse offender population, thereby producing enhanced public safety results for Canadians.
Over the past four years, CSC has been using this report as the basis of our transformation agenda. Bill C-10 would advance this agenda further, with key components related to information sharing with victims, offender accountability, offender discipline, and electronic monitoring, among others.
The proposed legislation aims to strengthen principles of the Corrections and Conditional Release Act to emphasize offender accountability and responsibility.
If Bill C-10 is passed, the Corrections and Conditional Release Act would now place a greater emphasis on offenders to follow and adhere to their correctional plans, which form the foundation of all programming, education, employment skills development, and decisions related to transfer and conditional release.
As well, Mr. Chair, Bill C-10 will give me, as the Commissioner of the Correctional Service of Canada, the opportunity to establish an incentive-based approach to dealing with offenders who have the capacity to follow their correctional plans but choose not to do so during their terms of incarceration. In addition, the bill places additional emphasis on the role and the rights of victims throughout the correctional process. It expands the definition of victims and the types of information that can be shared with them.
Finally, I'd like to note that Bill C-10 would enshrine in legislation CSC's authority to impose electronic monitoring under certain circumstances. These could include monitoring an offender's compliance with the terms of release, such as restricted access to a person or place.
Mr. Chair, as you're aware, last week the ministers of public safety and justice tabled a document indicating that the federal cost of Bill C-10 will be $78.6 million over five years. CSC has estimated that we will require approximately $34 million in new funding to manage the impacts of the proposed legislation. This figure comprises operational costs associated with the projected increase in our offender population arising from mandatory minimum sentences for sexual offences against children and for serious drug crimes.
In addition to the costs associated with housing more offenders, on the operational side we will see an ongoing reliance on double-bunking. This is having a particular impact in our women-offender institutions and in those in the prairies and Ontario regions where we are facing population pressures. I should note that there are also financial implications for the Correctional Service of Canada related to the enhanced provision for sharing information with victims and to the implementation of electronic monitoring. However, we will be absorbing these costs internally.
Mr. Chair, the Correctional Service of Canada has transformed its operations over the past few years to respond to a complex and diverse offender population and to significant changes in the criminal justice system. We're continuously monitoring the impact of these changes on our organization and on our offender population. We are making adjustments as needed.
I am confident that CSC, as a modern, adaptable, world-class correctional system, will implement the provisions of Bill C-10. It will create safer communities for all Canadians while it addresses the needs of victims and provides the most appropriate opportunities for offenders.
Thank you, Mr. Chair. I welcome any questions the committee may have.