Evidence of meeting #2 for Public Safety and National Security in the 43rd Parliament, 1st session. (The original version is on Parliament’s site, as are the minutes.) The winning word was report.
A video is available from Parliament.
Correctional Investigator of Canada, Office of the Correctional Investigator of Canada
Can you be a bit clearer as to what you're suggesting?
Conservative
Rob Morrison Conservative Kootenay—Columbia, BC
What I'm asking is whether you think there should be a separate, independent review of that program?
Correctional Investigator of Canada, Office of the Correctional Investigator of Canada
My office has been critical of the transition when the programming in corrections moved to their new integrated correctional program model. This was done about six years ago or so. It was done for efficiency reasons.
There is some academic literature that is critical of the way the program has rolled out. There used to be separate programs for substance abuse, anger management and family violence. What happened with the introduction of this new model, ICPM, was that they basically threw everything into the same basket, and now you have one program that fits all.
I think it's an approach that may not be yielding the best results, and the academic literature suggests that this may be the case.
Conservative
Rob Morrison Conservative Kootenay—Columbia, BC
Okay.
In some past meetings, correctional officers noted that the needle programs in other countries are operated as safe injection sites. Specifically, needles remain in the hands of medical staff and aren't brought back into cells.
Is this the case in Canada?
Correctional Investigator of Canada, Office of the Correctional Investigator of Canada
In this past annual report, we wrote our concern that the safe needle exchange program isn't working as it was supposed to because most of the attention has been focused on security rather than on health and harm reduction. There are thus very few takers.
We're concerned that the present model, as implemented by the service, does not match best practices in other jurisdictions. It's clear to me that a good program reduces the spread of infectious diseases and also lowers the risk to staff. If you don't have a proper prison needle exchange program, you increase the risk of staff being pricked by needles during searches, whether strip searches or cell searches.
Once you have a prison needle exchange, those things go away.
Liberal
Kamal Khera Liberal Brampton West, ON
Thank you, Dr. Zinger, first and foremost for being here but most importantly for all the work you have been doing, especially on this particular report.
The report certainly raises many pressing issues, which include gaps in services and care for the most vulnerable populations in our federal institutions. Correctional Service Canada, I know, has put a path forward. I know Minister Blair is working very closely with the CSC to ensure that real progress is made. I want to talk a little bit, however, about safe and timely reintegration.
In your report you cite the Senate's “Study on Human Rights of Federally-Sentenced Persons: The most basic human right is to be treated as a human being”. It states that:
An important consequence of discriminatory policies is that federally-sentenced persons, especially those who are women, Indigenous, Black and racialized, have difficulty accessing culturally relevant...programming.
It goes on:
Without access to these programs, federally-sentenced persons are ill-prepared to reintegrate in their communities, which places them at a higher risk.... Tackling this issue is particularly urgent for federally-sentenced Indigenous and Black persons who are significantly overrepresented in the correctional system.
Within your study it is stated that the population of indigenous persons has increased from 19% to 28% in 2018-19 and also for black persons has increased from 7% to 10% in 2015-16, though now this increase is slowly reversing. However, 37% of all discrimination complaints are from black persons.
Can you elaborate a little on the overrepresentation of vulnerable populations, especially of indigenous, black Canadians, as well as racialized communities, in the Correctional Service?
Correctional Investigator of Canada, Office of the Correctional Investigator of Canada
On January 21, I issued a press release specifically on the gross overrepresentation of indigenous people. Four years ago they were 25% of the federal inmate population. Now they are 30%. This has been going on for the last three decades. It keeps growing year after year after year, independent of what government is at the helm. I would say it's beyond a crisis right now. We have to look at not just tweaks but bold initiatives to address this situation.
With respect to Canadians of African descent who are incarcerated, the overrepresentation may not be as acute but is certainly worrisome. They represent about 8% now of the inmate population, while in the general population they represent about 3%.
When we conducted a systemic investigation on younger offenders aged 18 to 21, we looked specifically at that group. There are many young men who are black or indigenous, and there is a lot of gang affiliation. Too little is being done by Correctional Service Canada to either have programming to de-affiliate or to prevent affiliation.
Liberal
Kamal Khera Liberal Brampton West, ON
Thank you.
Is there an urban divide also between specifically black Canadians and especially our younger offenders?
Correctional Investigator of Canada, Office of the Correctional Investigator of Canada
Yes, I believe so. There are definitely pockets wherein those communities are more in contact with law enforcement, absolutely, in some urban settings. These would include Toronto and Halifax, for example.
Liberal
Gagan Sikand Liberal Mississauga—Streetsville, ON
These are questions through me from a constituent who works at a women's facility.
The first question, are there statistics on the effectiveness of random strip searches, yes or no?
Correctional Investigator of Canada, Office of the Correctional Investigator of Canada
Yes.
Liberal
Gagan Sikand Liberal Mississauga—Streetsville, ON
Are the inmates working in the cook-chill facility there to reduce cost, as they are in the province, yes or no, please?
Correctional Investigator of Canada, Office of the Correctional Investigator of Canada
Yes, I believe that is a part of the—
Liberal
Conservative
Marc Dalton Conservative Pitt Meadows—Maple Ridge, BC
Thank you, Dr. Zinger, for your report.
I have just a few questions.
As far as day supervision is concerned, you say the costs are about one-quarter of the costs of being incarcerated and the numbers are increasing for people being released on day supervision, but you make mention of inadequate supervision. Coupled with all this, we have the highest investment in our penitentiaries per inmate. Perhaps you can clarify that.
Why isn't there a change? Why isn't there an allocation towards more supervision? Obviously, it's increasing and it's a lot less expensive. Maybe you can comment on that.
Correctional Investigator of Canada, Office of the Correctional Investigator of Canada
I have to simply agree with you, but clearly, the person best placed to answer that question would be the commissioner of corrections as to where she makes the allocation of her resources.
Conservative
Marc Dalton Conservative Pitt Meadows—Maple Ridge, BC
Okay. Thank you.
La Presse had an article on situations happening where Quebec inmates, and it's elsewhere too, could declare themselves as Métis and receive some significantly improved benefits without necessarily any proof of attachment to the Métis community. I speak as a Métis person myself. I'm concerned about that. I'm wondering if you can make some comments as far as this being abused by those who are not Métis.
Correctional Investigator of Canada, Office of the Correctional Investigator of Canada
I've read that article. I think it's misguided. I've actually written to the author and provided some statistics. I think this is a red herring. I don't think it's based on facts.
The reality is that if you are indigenous in our system, in federal corrections, you're more likely to be released later in your sentence, you're more likely to be subjected to use of force, you're more likely to be self-harming and you're more likely to have your parole suspended or revoked. There is no real benefit in declaring yourself indigenous. The statistics that I provided to that reporter show that there has not been a wild increase. There may be some cases of abuse, but certainly nothing systemic that I could see from the numbers.
Conservative
Marc Dalton Conservative Pitt Meadows—Maple Ridge, BC
Good. I appreciate those comments.
You alluded to the numbers with respect to the indigenous population being released later. The number of those who are released on day parole is 18%. How does that percentage of indigenous inmates on day parole compare with the population that is non-indigenous?
