Corrections officials often tell me that it's a question of resources, that they're building partnerships and running pilot projects.
However, on the whole, we see that all educational activities at the secondary level are carried out using paper and pencils. However, we do not live in an era where these tools are the norm. All work-related equipment is often obsolete. Individuals are not given practical tools and vocational training that will later be useful to them in society.
I don't think it's a question of resources. You have to keep in mind that Correctional Service Canada spends over $120,000 per inmate annually. The Correctional Service's inmate-to-staff ratio is the highest in the world, at 1:1. In fact, more than 40% of penitentiaries have more staff than inmates, and sometimes more correctional officers than inmates. We are breaking records in terms of resources invested, but objectively speaking, we still have outdated practices that are not enviable on a global scale.
I am not opposed to the spending, but at least the performance indicators have to be commensurate with the money spent. Right now we have a correctional system with an outdated infrastructure. As well, 3,700 cells are empty. We keep spending money, but we can't get performance indicators that match up with the investment we're making.