Evidence of meeting #4 for Public Safety and National Security in the 40th Parliament, 3rd Session. (The original version is on Parliament’s site, as are the minutes.) The winning word was needs.
A recording is available from Parliament.
3:50 p.m.
Liberal
Mark Holland Liberal Ajax—Pickering, ON
Mr. Don Head appeared in committee last week and said that the population will definitely increase. Are you concerned that there is currently no plan to increase services, even though we know the population will be increasing?
3:50 p.m.
Deputy Commissioner, Quebec Region, Correctional Service Canada
We are not concerned for the moment. Every year, we conduct assessments of our population because we obviously need to know for funding purposes. We review population increases, we establish averages and we are always careful because we can sometimes overestimate or underestimate them. So we're not really concerned.
3:50 p.m.
Liberal
Mark Holland Liberal Ajax—Pickering, ON
However, there's never been a situation like this.
There are currently a number of bills in the House of Commons that have major implications for the prisons. There will definitely be a big increase in the population. If there is no mental health services plan, I'm definitely concerned. For example, what do you think about double bunking? That's an issue. The minister said allowing double bunking isn't an issue, but there is an international convention.
Canada was a member of an international UN agreement that said this wasn't going to be permitted, yet now we're talking about double bunking. What impact do you think that will have on mental health?
3:50 p.m.
Deputy Commissioner, Quebec Region, Correctional Service Canada
We haven't got to that stage yet. Bills haven't yet been passed. From our vantage point, they're still under review. As matters materialize, as we've always done in the past, the Correctional Service will adjust its services and review its infrastructure planning.
The double bunking issue is something we monitor as much as possible. When we resort to it, we definitely conduct analyses of inmate needs. So we aren't concerned for the moment.
3:50 p.m.
Liberal
Mark Holland Liberal Ajax—Pickering, ON
In your opinion, what would the impact of double bunking be if the minister decided it was the only option for the government? Last week, the minister said that it wasn't a problem for him. What is the impact on mental health issues, for example?
3:55 p.m.
Deputy Commissioner, Quebec Region, Correctional Service Canada
I repeat the same answer.
We have to conduct analyses of those bills before really determining what the impact will be, whether it's for double bunking or for all inmate services as a whole. So we'll wait until we have the analyses in hand.
3:55 p.m.
Liberal
Mark Holland Liberal Ajax—Pickering, ON
Are there any on-going discussions with officials or the minister's office concerning planning for new prisons or new spaces for prisoners?
3:55 p.m.
Deputy Commissioner, Quebec Region, Correctional Service Canada
I couldn't tell you. I handle the Quebec Region.
3:55 p.m.
Liberal
Mark Holland Liberal Ajax—Pickering, ON
I understand.
There will be an increase in the population. It's definitely logical for there to be a discussion on that point. What's the way to manage the situation if there's no discussion at this time?
3:55 p.m.
Deputy Commissioner, Quebec Region, Correctional Service Canada
Every time there are changes in the inmate population, analyses are conducted and discussions are then held with the government in power. Obviously, if we have to seek additional funding, that will have to be done later. It's always done on the basis of rigorous analyses.
3:55 p.m.
Conservative
3:55 p.m.
Bloc
Maria Mourani Bloc Ahuntsic, QC
Thank you.
First of all, I would like to thank you for being here and for your testimony.
Supplementing somewhat what Mr. Holland just said, how many expansions do you think would be planned in Quebec in terms of future construction?
3:55 p.m.
Deputy Commissioner, Quebec Region, Correctional Service Canada
For the moment, I don't have those figures, Ms. Mourani, and I don't have that planning.
3:55 p.m.
Bloc
Maria Mourani Bloc Ahuntsic, QC
However, to your knowledge, will there be any expansions, renovations?
3:55 p.m.
Deputy Commissioner, Quebec Region, Correctional Service Canada
There have always been renovations because we need to adapt our infrastructure. I believe that when you came—
3:55 p.m.
Deputy Commissioner, Quebec Region, Correctional Service Canada
There were some. We're planning others, particularly for the Regional Mental Health Centre. Some institutions can be more or less obsolete in certain respects. With the amounts we recently invested in security, we realize we have to adapt the entrances to institutions, for example. As you saw, we're installing metal detectors, new technological devices that require a little more space. So we're modernizing that aspect.
3:55 p.m.
Deputy Commissioner, Quebec Region, Correctional Service Canada
We don't have that information for the moment.
3:55 p.m.
Bloc
Maria Mourani Bloc Ahuntsic, QC
I'd like to address another point. On page 7 of your presentation, you cite some figures concerning reoffending. If I correctly understand what I'm reading, and I may be mistaken, these are reoffences that were committed while the individual was on supervised parole. So these are reoffences, not suspensions, if I understand correctly.
3:55 p.m.
Deputy Commissioner, Quebec Region, Correctional Service Canada
These are reoffences, but you have to understand that, particularly for long-term supervision order cases, if a person does not comply with an order without committing a crime or an offence, failure to comply with that long-term supervision order is considered a reoffence.
3:55 p.m.
Bloc
Maria Mourani Bloc Ahuntsic, QC
It's considered a reoffence. So that includes both breaches of condition and crimes.
I would like you to give me some figures, to send them to us in writing. Can you send us a breakdown in percentages, or absolute figures, not only of suspensions and breaches of condition—suspensions and breaches of condition are of course not always related, but nevertheless—but also of actual reoffences, by crime. Of course, we use the word "reoffence", but is that a reoffence in a similar crime, or are we seeing a deterioration or escalation in crime? I don't know whether you have those figures.
3:55 p.m.
Deputy Commissioner, Quebec Region, Correctional Service Canada
I don't know whether we can be that specific, but we can definitely give you figures concerning violent and non-violent reoffences.
4 p.m.
Bloc
Maria Mourani Bloc Ahuntsic, QC
That's already very good.
Furthermore, Ms. Gaudet, I understood that Martineau CCC is the only one—though I may be mistaken—in Quebec that handles only mental health cases. Is that correct?
4 p.m.
Andrée Gaudet Associate Director, Montreal-Metropolitan District, Correctional Service Canada
Yes.
