Evidence of meeting #32 for Public Safety and National Security in the 40th Parliament, 2nd session. (The original version is on Parliament’s site, as are the minutes.) The winning word was facility.
A recording is available from Parliament.
Correctional Investigator, Office of the Correctional Investigator
Well, let me go back to your....
Conservative
Brent Rathgeber Conservative Edmonton—St. Albert, AB
Maple Creek, Saskatoon, Kingston, Dorchester, Laval.
Correctional Investigator, Office of the Correctional Investigator
Yes. I'm just trying to find your schedule.
Maple Creek is a unique institution in the country, operating as a healing lodge. I think, as my colleague indicated, you'll see a best practice. I would ask what are the limitations to this best practice expanding? What are the limitations in terms of offenders accessing this kind of program?
Certainly the time spent at Maple Creek will give you some unique insights, as will the time spent at the regional treatment centres--any of the regional treatment centres. CSC operates these five hospitals, and all five have very different characters. If you had the time, I would say just go to the five treatment centres and then we could have a conversation. You will see such a variety of structures, governance, management, staffing, and programs that you will be left questioning whether or not this represents a coherent system or five different approaches.
Kingston Penitentiary is always an eye-opener, in part because of the age of the perimeter. You also have to understand that within that facility there have been many upgrades and many changes. But the contrast between Kingston as a built institution and then what goes on in the treatment centre there will also be very stark.
I think it will also be a very unique experience for you to go from that regional treatment centre to perhaps the regional psychiatric centre in Saskatoon, and just hold those two images in your mind.
I guess what I'm saying, in response, is that everywhere you go, the nature and the character of every institution will provide you with some unique insights.
Conservative
Brent Rathgeber Conservative Edmonton—St. Albert, AB
Nothing jumps out on the list as a duplication?
Correctional Investigator, Office of the Correctional Investigator
Nothing is a waste of time.
Conservative
Brent Rathgeber Conservative Edmonton—St. Albert, AB
Okay. That's really all I wanted to know.
Thank you, Mr. Chair.
Conservative
The Chair Conservative Garry Breitkreuz
Does anybody else have any comments or questions?
Mr. Kania.
Liberal
Andrew Kania Liberal Brampton West, ON
Briefly, only because the witness will be coming back.
When you do come back, would you provide us with a recommendation—I'm not saying this is realistic, but sort of a recommendation--for two additional trips? One would be domestic--what you think we have missed, what we should be seeing, and why--and one would be international--again, where you think we should go and why.
I know you've made comments concerning Ohio in the U.S., and Australia and the U.K., but perhaps you can just construct two different things for us to do so that we can think about that as a comparison.
Correctional Investigator, Office of the Correctional Investigator
We'll certainly do our best. I think our insights will be of more value to you in terms of the domestic scene, but certainly we'll share with you our knowledge, as limited as it may be, of the international community as well.
Conservative
The Chair Conservative Garry Breitkreuz
Any more comments or questions? Okay.
Mr. Sapers, I'd like to thank you very much for appearing before the committee.
Ms. Neault, thank you very much.
We appreciate your insights and your help in what we have planned here.
With the permission of the committee, we will pause for a moment and then go in camera to discuss a few things.
Thank you.
[Proceedings continue in camera]