Would you agree with me that there are some models out there—and I think you mentioned it in your questioning—that have not been tried in Canada? Our great researchers have found that one of the leaders in just one part of doing things differently—and I'm referring to social impact bonds—is the United Kingdom. They seem to be having the most success.
Also, in the 2014 budget in the United States, President Obama brought in some programs like social impact bonds and other innovative crime reduction ways because the old ways just don't tend to work.
Would you agree with me that Australia is also doing some things in that regard?
But we don't have to look to other countries. I'm sure you are aware that in 2011, the YMCA in Toronto issued community bonds in regard to social housing because we know giving people decent places to live is part of crime reduction. The LIFT Philanthropy Partners in Canada, RBC's impact fund, $20 million—there are private sector dollars out there doing some things that it makes sense for the federal government to team up with. Would you agree with that?
Would you also agree that even in Quebec, we have the Mouvement des caisses Desjardins, with their Placement à rendement social, which also attacks this. These are significant dollars using money out of people's RRSPs and other things, to invest in. Isn't that a good way for governments to work with communities to get things done in a new and innovative way?
We're looking at British Columbia, who's also trying this. We're looking at Alberta, in the 2012 mandated results-based budget. We're also looking at the 2012 Commission on the Reform of Ontario's Public Services, also known as the Drummond report, which suggested the Province of Ontario look at that. It's unfortunate they haven't because they have a deficit of $12 billion now. But going on to Nova Scotia and the 2013 Speech from the Throne, they also mentioned social impact bonds as part of a way of reducing crime.
Have you studied those or looked at those, and could you let the committee know the results of your investigation into these and how you think they have been successful? Or, if the federal government were to head down in that direction, how do you think we should twig those very things so that we can maximize the number of dollars available for crime prevention by working with willing partners like the provinces and like non-profit agencies and others?
Would you like to make a comment on those statements?