I'm pleased to hear from you, Commissioner Dakalbab.
It's true that there are major challenges at Correctional Service Canada. I have visited two federal penitentiaries, Port-Cartier and Drummondville. I can sincerely say that I was struck by how dejected and burnt out the correctional officers were. There are never enough of them to meet the minimum ratio, putting their lives at risk. It's discouraging. It really affected me to see correctional officers who also suffer from a lack of recognition. There are many problems related to infrastructure as well. I think federal penitentiaries need some attention and modern equipment.
I think the voices of the people working in penitentiaries need to be heard. They know what's needed to do an effective job. It's also a matter of ensuring safety during interactions between inmates, and between inmates and staff.
I'm glad to see that you're open to meeting with us to hear our feedback on what we've seen during our visits. We'll schedule a meeting.
Finally, I have a quick question for Mr. Duheme.
I don't understand how it's possible to be efficient while cutting $44 million a year for three years. That's the spending reduction that the government asked you to achieve. You need more tools, more technologies, more equipment, modernization and drones. You need more border officers.
As an administrator and manager, how can you meet these needs while achieving the budget cuts required by the government?