Evidence of meeting #141 for Public Safety and National Security in the 42nd Parliament, 1st Session. (The original version is on Parliament’s site, as are the minutes.) The winning word was chair.
A recording is available from Parliament.
Conservative
Glen Motz Conservative Medicine Hat—Cardston—Warner, AB
Is a routine strip search now part of a normal Correctional Service of Canada practice?
Director, Strategic Policy, Correctional Service of Canada
Essentially, strip searches are currently available under the act. My understanding is that under Bill C-83, they would continue to be available.
To reiterate, the concern is about what this would mean if there are medical conditions, or if the body scanner is at the front entrance and we're moving an inmate from one area to another where a body scanner isn't present. What would this mean in terms of how we would operationalize this?
There are concerns from that perspective.
Yellowhead, CPC
Maybe the officials can answer this for me.
I'm not trying to be crude here, but will the X-ray machine or the equipment we have in our institutions be able to show cavities of a person walking through on the screen, and what's hidden in the private parts of their body?
Director, Strategic Policy, Correctional Service of Canada
This would be further prescribed as is laid out in the bill. There are a number of technologies available.
We're looking at something similar to what is used in airports. It would essentially identify a problematic area and suggest a secondary review at the threat risk assessment, but not necessarily show a detailed view of the human body.
I hope that answers your question.
Yellowhead, CPC
No, it doesn't.
The scenario that I'm seeing is that something does show. You're saying here, by bringing this section into play, “No routine strip search of an inmate may be conducted if a body scan search is available.”
What do you do if you see something, then? You're saying you can't do it. You're contradicting—
Liberal
Conservative
Pierre Paul-Hus Conservative Charlesbourg—Haute-Saint-Charles, QC
I don't think the amendment works at all. The intention was to provide that the body scan search replaces the strip search. However, if the scanner finds something, a search has to be done. So that doesn't work.
Thank you.
Liberal
NDP
Rachel Blaney NDP North Island—Powell River, BC
Well, with all my massive expertise, I think it sounds like....
I don't have an amendment to offer. It's on the floor, and I think we should just go to a vote.
Liberal
The Chair Liberal John McKay
It's as is.
Okay, I'll call the vote on NDP-14.
(Amendment negatived)
(Clause 15 agreed to on division [See Minutes of Proceeding])
(Clauses 16 to 22 inclusive agreed to on division)
(Clause 23)
Conservative
Glen Motz Conservative Medicine Hat—Cardston—Warner, AB
You have it in front of you. I won't go through it and read it all.
We heard from the Native Women's Association of Canada. They provided the suggested revised language to the act. I see no need to put 100% of the power into the councils or chiefs. I think the ability of the Correctional Service to work with whomever to help rehabilitation and reintegration should be clear.
This is very similar to NDP-15. I would ask the officials to tell us which makes the more sense.
Liberal
Conservative
Glen Motz Conservative Medicine Hat—Cardston—Warner, AB
Does the language in our CPC-2.4 work better, or does it work better in NDP-15?
Liberal
Conservative
Glen Motz Conservative Medicine Hat—Cardston—Warner, AB
Okay, then, let's just work with ours. Pass it and we're good to go.
Liberal
Liberal
Pam Damoff Liberal Oakville North—Burlington, ON
Thank you, Chair.
I think we all have attempted to put a definition in place that will further define “indigenous community”. I'm wondering if the officials could comment on the more lengthy definition put forward by the Conservative Party.
Conservative
Glen Motz Conservative Medicine Hat—Cardston—Warner, AB
Pam, this is the Native Women's Association of Canada's language.