Actually, I have a number of issues. The very first thing is that it is not part of the Kingston penitentiary system. It is a CBSA facility on the land there, and it is operated purely by CBSA. Going back to part of what Mr. Cullen said, it is absolutely true that the construction of the facility was begun under a previous government, for I think the proper reasons. The provincial people didn't feel it was their responsibility to house these people; it was a federal responsibility.
I think the facility itself was built with the proper intentions. I think, Mr. Cullen, you and I and others have described it many times as being like a three-sided cell. The detainees, as you know, are not there as convicted criminals but are there because they pose a threat and a danger to Canada. They've been through the court system that has ruled all of those things to be the case, and that's why they're being detained. They are free to leave.
They have their reasons for believing they should stay here as opposed to going back to their countries of origin. We concur with all of those things that actually occurred in a previous government's time. We think they did the right thing then, and we think it is still the right thing. But there are a number of issues here with the motion at this time. I understand the reason for it and the urgency in Mr. Comartin's mind. Recently an issue, which is part of this, has been brought before the court in Ontario, so we can't discuss the particular issues because it is before the court. But there is that redress.
The Red Cross has access to these folks and has confirmed that they are held in a humane way. It may not be that it is to the liking of the detainees, but it is humane and proper. There is already a grievance redress process that these individuals who are held in the facility can use and have used.
For a variety of issues, we think it is inappropriate to ask somebody to investigate. We think it is outside of their mandate. You can look at it and say that this is a CBSA facility and you think the correctional investigator should be brought in. There are a lot of other CBSA facilities across the country. If we do it for all those situations in which we have those complaints, or just for this situation because of this particular issue that is before us, I think we are setting a very dangerous precedent when they are in the process of using the courts to address those things.
I'm not sure that the attempt here of having the correctional investigator go in and investigate is the solution in the long-term big picture. At this point, certainly we would be opposed to it. It just doesn't fit the proper mandate.