Evidence of meeting #4 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 offenders.
A video is available from Parliament.
Commissioner, Correctional Service of Canada
The reason I met with the chief of the Montreal police service is precisely to make sure that the lines are kept open and—
that we didn't impede each other's investigation.
Perhaps Mr. Tousignant could say more on that. He also spoke to the chief of the Montreal police service.
Alain Tousignant Senior Deputy Commissioner, Correctional Service of Canada
I'd like to add to that. It's important that our investigation has no effect on the criminal investigation. We are therefore working with the Quebec City police service to ensure that one does not impinge on the other. It is possible that this may cause some delays on our part, because we have to wait for their investigators to give us the green light to continue our investigations and interview the people we want to interview.
Bloc
Liberal
The Chair Liberal John McKay
Thank you, Ms. Michaud.
Just as a point of clarification for all of us, where is the police investigation? It's not clear, at least to me, where the police investigation is, because that does affect the questions members can ask.
Senior Deputy Commissioner, Correctional Service of Canada
I spoke to the Quebec City police as of yesterday. Their investigation is still ongoing. They still have witnesses and suspects to meet in the next few days. Therefore, their investigation is still alive and ongoing.
Liberal
NDP
Jack Harris NDP St. John's East, NL
Thank you.
First of all, I didn't do this with my first intervention, but let me express my great sympathy for the tragedy that has occurred to Marylène Levesque. Her family deserves our sincere condolences and sympathy. This is a terrible tragedy that ought never to happen again.
I want to go back to the situation, as there's been some confusion here about statutory release and this, that and the other thing. I want to quote for the record, from the Parole Board of Canada, information on the website of the Government of Canada. It talks about life sentences. It says:
A life sentence means life. Lifers will never again enjoy total freedom.
...lifers are not entitled to statutory release.
Not all lifers will be granted parole. Some may never be released on parole because they continue to represent too great a risk to re-offend.
The conditions of no parole for 15 years in the case of the life sentence of Mr. Gallese meant that he was not entitled to parole unless he could establish that he would not be a risk. That's very different from statutory release, where you have to get out after serving two-thirds of your sentence. As you pointed out, 60% of the cases are like that.
This is a special case of a person sentenced to life in prison for the murder of his wife or partner being granted parole. Therefore, a high degree of care has to be taken before a positive decision is made to release this person, who is still serving a life sentence, into the community. Am I right about that?
I direct my question to the Parole Board chair.
Chairperson, Parole Board of Canada
Yes, and I'd just like to clarify that for lifers they will never be released unless through a Parole Board decision, because the statutory release doesn't apply to lifers. However, the court or the judge sets the time at which—
NDP
Chairperson, Parole Board of Canada
In actual fact, for lifers who have been released into the community, they serve, on average, seven years past that eligibility date before they are released.
Chairperson, Parole Board of Canada
Yes, he was released—I don't have it with me—but was it 10 years the judge set for his...and he was released three years after that.
NDP
Chairperson, Parole Board of Canada
Anyway, we can look into that, but he was released three years after his eligibility.
Liberal
The Chair Liberal John McKay
Mr. Harris, unfortunately, you are out of time.
Colleagues, we've been at this for an hour and 15 minutes. We could take a break. We still have 45 minutes to go, or we can continue on. I'm in the hands of colleagues as to whether we continue, and also, whether there's any urgency for a health break on the part of the witnesses.
Conservative
Liberal
NDP
Jack Harris NDP St. John's East, NL
Mr. Chair, I believe the chair of the Parole Board would like to correct Mr. Gallese's sentence and timing of his release for day parole, and the length of time required before he was eligible for parole.
