Debates of March 1st, 1995

Petitions

[Tom Wappel, Liberal, Scarborough West, ON]

Mr. Speaker, I have three petitions this afternoon. The first one prays that Parliament act immediately to extend protection to the unborn child by amending the Criminal Code to extend the same protection enjoyed by born human beings to unborn human beings.

It is signed by approximately 150 people in the Toronto area.

[Tom Wappel, Liberal, Scarborough West, ON]

Mr. Speaker, the next petition is signed by constituents of mine in Scarborough West and environs.

It prays that Parliament ensure that the present provisions of the Criminal Code of Canada prohibiting assisted suicide be enforced vigorously and that Parliament make no changes in the law that would sanction or allow the aiding or abetting of suicide or active or passive euthanasia.

[Tom Wappel, Liberal, Scarborough West, ON]

Mr. Speaker, I have another petition from constituents of mine praying that Parliament not amend the Canadian Human Rights Act or the Charter of Rights and Freedoms in any way that would tend to indicate societal approval of same sex relationships or of

homosexuality, including amending the Canadian Human Rights Act to include in the prohibited grounds of discrimination the undefined phrase sexual orientation.

I support all three petitions.

[Pat O'Brien, Liberal, London—Middlesex, ON]

Mr. Speaker, it is my duty as a member of Parliament to present three petitions today which oppose including the phrase sexual orientation in various pieces of federal legislation.

[Bob Nault, Liberal, Kenora—Rainy River, ON]

Mr. Speaker, I have the pleasure of presenting 13 petitions on seven different topics all bearing signatures of my constituents and duly certified by the clerk of petitions.

I present three petitions with over 700 signatures requesting that the government take action that will keep mining in Canada by increasing employment in this sector, promoting exploration and rebuilding mineral reserves.

[Bob Nault, Liberal, Kenora—Rainy River, ON]

Mr. Speaker, I present two petitions signed by 100 people praying that Parliament continue to reject euthanasia and physical assisted suicide and that Parliament consider expanding palliative care for dying persons.

[Bob Nault, Liberal, Kenora—Rainy River, ON]

Mr. Speaker, I have two petitions signed by 66 people in my riding requesting that in no case may a father or mother without serious cause place obstacles between the child and grandparents and further that grandparents with access to a child be given the right to acquire information as to the health, education and welfare of the child.

[Bob Nault, Liberal, Kenora—Rainy River, ON]

Mr. Speaker, I also present a petition with 346 signatures urging Parliament to enact legislation that addresses crime control and not firearm control.

[Bob Nault, Liberal, Kenora—Rainy River, ON]

Mr. Speaker, I have a single petition with 35 signatures requesting protection for the unborn child.

[Bob Nault, Liberal, Kenora—Rainy River, ON]

Mr. Speaker, I have three petitions with 332 signatures urging Parliament not to amend the Human Rights Act in any way that would indicate societal approval of same sex relationships, including any amendment using the phrase sexual orientation as prohibited grounds of discrimination.

[Bob Nault, Liberal, Kenora—Rainy River, ON]

Mr. Speaker, I present a petition signed by 37 people in my riding asking Parliament to consider a referendum on accepting or rejecting two official languages.

I appreciate the opportunity to present the views of my riding through these petitions.

[Bob Mills, Reform, Red Deer, AB]

Mr. Speaker, I have two petitions today, one signed by 260 people. This is part of a 64,000 person petition.

The petitioners are calling for changes to the Young Offenders Act and want an act serious enough to deter young people from committing crimes. They feel the Young Offenders Act is not meeting the objectives set forth in a satisfactory manner.

[Bob Mills, Reform, Red Deer, AB]

Mr. Speaker, my second petition is the second for this week on gun control now totalling over 5,000 names.

The petitioners express their concern that the control of law-abiding citizens and responsible gun owners is more than enough to ensure public safety and that the current and proposed laws criminalizing certain firearm activities are not necessary.

The petitioners humbly pray and request that Parliament support laws that will severely punish all violent criminals who use weapons in the commission of crimes and that Parliament support legislation that will repeal and modify existing gun control laws which have not improved public safety or have not proven to be cost effective.

[John Solomon, NDP, Regina—Lumsden, SK]

Mr. Speaker, I have two petitions to present today pursuant to Standing Order 36.

I have one petition signed by approximately 400 members of the United Steel Workers of America, Local 5890 working at IPSCO Inc. in my constituency. This petition pertains to the Canadian Income Tax Act which states that a pension plan member cannot accrue more than one year of pensionable service in a year, thereby eliminating any way to make up pensionable service time accrued.

This petition calls upon Parliament to urge the government to change the appropriate regulations to allow for pensionable service to be accrued over 1,800 hours based on straight time hours worked.

It is my pleasure to present that petition to the House.

[John Solomon, NDP, Regina—Lumsden, SK]

Mr. Speaker, the final petition I wish to present is on behalf of a number of citizens in mining communities in western Canada who call upon Parliament to take action to create growth in employment in the mining sector, to promote exploration, to rebuild Canada's mineral reserves, to sustain mining communities and to keep mining in Canada.

[Myron Thompson, Reform, Wild Rose, AB]

Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to present three petitions today, the first one being part of the 64,000 petitioners, representing individuals from my riding of Wild Rose who ask that Parliament recognize and address the concerns of the Young Offenders Act to make it serious enough to deter young offenders from committing crimes and tough enough to provide real justice.

I have a petition with a total of 200 signatures from the areas of my riding of Crossfield, Cremona and Cochrane. The petitioners identify seven major points regarding the entire judicial system which they believe need a complete overhaul. They ask for legislation to re-evaluate and amend the Canadian justice system providing protection to and giving precedence to victim rights rather than criminal rights.

[Myron Thompson, Reform, Wild Rose, AB]

Mr. Speaker, I have a petition containing 5,363 names submitted from central Alberta, mostly from Edmonton. The petitioners respectfully request that our elected representatives amend the Criminal Code using their power and henceforth prohibit any type of performance, including those in live peep shows, which in any form or manner exposes to the view of any member of the public genitals, buttocks or female breasts.

I concur with and support all of these petitions.

[The Deputy Speaker]

Unfortunately the time has expired for petitions. Most of the members standing will know why I am particularly sorry they cannot present their petitions today. However, the Chair must pass on to motions.

Questions On The Order Paper

[Peter Milliken, Liberal, Parliamentary Secretary to Leader of the Government in the House of Commons]

Mr. Speaker, question No. 129 will be answered today.

Question No. 129-

[Andy Mitchell, Liberal, Parry Sound—Muskoka, ON]

With a minimum security prison already located in the riding of Parry Sound-Muskoka and a medium security prison to be operational by 1997, what is being done to ensure the proper assignment of classification to prisoners who will be located at these prison facilities?

[Herb Gray, Liberal, Leader of the Government in the House of Commons and Solicitor General of Canada]

In so far as the Correctional Service of Canada is concerned, the answer is as follows:

All federal inmates entering the Correctional Service of Canada's jurisdiction, including those coming from the courts as well as those who have violated a conditional release and whose release has been suspended, are admitted to a maximum security institution for assessment. In Ontario, all new federal inmates are admitted to the assessment unit at Millhaven maximum security institution.

All new inmates undergo a comprehensive assessment to identify those issues which have contributed to criminal behaviour and which must be addressed. Violent offenders receive psychological assessments and sexual offenders are offered a comprehensive assessment aimed at establishing appropriate treatment interventions and level of risk to public safety. The results of these assessments, and case specific information (such as documents from the police, courts, family, etc.) are examined and analysed to determine the level of security required for the management of the case. As well, a correctional plan for the inmate is produced which becomes the blueprint for the sentence, against which progress toward correctional goals are measured. At the end of the process, which may take up to eight weeks, a placement decision is made which reflects both the security and program needs of the offender.

Inmates are assigned a minimum, medium or maximum security classification. Part of the overall assessment is the custody rating scale, a tool which was developed to provide a statistically based placement opinion. The elements included in this tool are considered to be effective predictors of behaviour. On the basis of the entire assessment, including the custody rating scale, a placement decision is made by assessment staff, and the inmate is sent to a receiving institution classified at his/her level of security.

Three critical factors are taken into consideration in determining the security level of the inmate; namely, institutional adjustment, escape risk, and risk to public safety. Each factor is given a rating of low, moderate or high, and each is significant to the overall assessment of the inmate.

Once an inmate has been placed at an institution, the inmate's security classification is reviewed at least once a year. Any additional information which was not considered at the previous placement may result in a change in the classification level. New factors which may be considered are the inmate's current attitude, behaviour, motivation and progress in his/her treatment programs. In preparation for any critical decisions concerning transfer, temporary absence, or work release, CSC

policy requires that the inmate's classification be reviewed and confirmed or amended. Case managers must use their professional judgment, in conjunction with available assessment tools, in reaching a final conclusion as to the appropriate security classification.

In addition to the individual inmate's classification, institutions are also classified by security level. Beaver Creek Institution, in Parry Sound-Muskoka, is classified as a minimum security prison. The new institution, to be located on the Beaver Creek reserve near Gravenhurst, Ontario, is expected to be completed in 1997, and will be classified as a medium security prison.

The rationale for placement of all federal inmates is found in section 28.i.(e) of the Corrections and Conditional Release Act, which states that the Correctional Service of Canada shall take all reasonable steps to ensure that the penitentiary in which the person is confined is one that provides the least restrictive environment for that person, taking into account: (a) the degree and kind of custody necessary for (i) the safety of the public, (ii) the safety of that person and other persons in the penitentiary, and (iii) the security of the penitentiary; (b) accessibility to: (i) the person's home community and family, (ii) a compatible cultural environment, and (iii) a compatible linguistic environment; (c) the availability of appropriate programs and services, and the person's willingness to participate in those programs.

When the new institution is opened, only those inmates who have undergone careful assessment and meet the criteria for placement at the medium security level will be transferred there.

Public safety is the paramount factor in any decision relating to the management of inmate cases.

[The Deputy Speaker]

The question enumerated by the parliamentary secretary has been answered.

[Peter Milliken, Liberal, Kingston and the Islands, ON]

I ask, Mr. Speaker, that the remaining questions be allowed to stand.

[The Deputy Speaker]

Is that agreed?

[Some hon. members]

Agreed.