Thank you, Madam Chair and members of the committee, for this invitation to appear before you today. We welcome this opportunity to contribute to your study.
Joining me today is Michelle Van De Bogart, acting chief operating officer and the portfolio lead for indigenous initiatives at the board.
As you're likely aware, the Parole Board of Canada is an independent administrative tribunal responsible for making decisions on the conditional release of offenders. The board's conditional release mandate is prescribed by the Corrections and Conditional Release Act, or CCRA.
The board contributes to the protection of society by facilitating, as appropriate, the timely reintegration of offenders into society as law-abiding citizens. This can include, but is not limited to, conditional release decisions relating to temporary absences, day parole, and full parole.
The board is guided by core values that respect the inherent potential and dignity of all individuals and the equal rights of all members of society. In addition, section 151(3) of the CCRA requires that the board's policies respect gender, ethnic, cultural and linguistic differences and be responsive to the special needs of women and indigenous peoples, as well as to the needs of other groups of offenders with special requirements.
Parole decisions are made by board members, who are appointed by Governor in Council, that is, by the Governor General on the advice of the federal cabinet. On appointment, all board members receive extensive training on risk assessment and interviewing techniques, as well as on the policies and legislation that govern the board's activities.
In making decisions, board members must determine whether an offender will not, by reoffending, present an undue risk to society before the expiration of his or her sentence and whether the offender will contribute to the protection of society by facilitating his or her safe reintegration as a law-abiding citizen.
With regard to indigenous offenders, board members consider the Supreme Court of Canada's Gladue principles as part of their decision-making. In addition, and to further address the needs of indigenous offenders, the board provides alternate models of parole hearings, specifically elder-assisted and community-assisted hearings. Public safety is the primary consideration in all board decisions.
The disproportionate growth of the indigenous federal offender population continues to be a pressing issue for the board. To help the board better meet the needs of this group, it has put into place two advisory bodies whose specific focus relates to indigenous initiatives.
The first is the chairperson's indigenous circle, which was established in 1999. The chairperson's indigenous circle serves to provide strategic advice to the board on matters related to policy development, training, and operations, ensuring that it recognizes the unique societal and cultural values related to indigenous offenders, victims, and their communities.
The second is the national elders gathering, which brings all of the board's elders together once a year to discuss and provide advice and guidance to the chairperson's indigenous circle on the board's indigenous initiatives and programs.
As mentioned, the board has also developed elder-assisted and community-assisted hearings. These hearings have been designed to specifically respond to the cultural values and traditions of indigenous offenders, while facilitating a more accurate understanding of the offender by board members. In 2016-17, the board held 605 elder-assisted hearings of which 16% were for indigenous women offenders and 3% were for non-indigenous women offenders.
The board has also implemented community-assisted hearings. Community-assisted hearings provide indigenous community members with an opportunity to participate in the hearing of the offender and to explain their proposed plan for the offender's conditional release and reintegration into the community. This type of hearing is normally held in the community and involves the offender's section 84 release plan. In 2016-17, the board held four community-assisted hearings.
The board also continues to incorporate principles that come from jurisprudence, including the Gladue, Ipeelee, and Twins decisions. The principles and considerations raised by the Supreme Court of Canada in the Gladue decision have an impact on every aspect of the criminal justice system, including the Parole Board of Canada.
Aboriginal social history factors are a vital consideration in all board member risk assessments for indigenous offenders, and the board provides indigenous cultural awareness training for all its board members and staff.
The board has also enhanced its board member orientation, continuous development, and policies around indigenous offenders to ensure that this type of legal consideration is both incorporated and demonstrated in the analysis for their parole decisions.
The board also actively engages in outreach activities with indigenous offenders and communities. It also continues to strengthen its relationships with key indigenous leaders and to partner with them to support the recruitment of indigenous board members, elders, and staff to enable greater representation of the communities it serves.
This concludes my opening remarks. We would be pleased to take any questions that the committee may have.