Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to speak to Bill C-53, an act to amend the Prisons and Reformatories Act. This bill sets out the principles of the temporary absence program. It should be noted that these principles are similar to those set out in the Corrections and Conditional Release Act.
The bill also authorizes the provinces to develop additional types of temporary absences. Bill C-53 sets out the grounds for suspending, cancelling or revoking temporary absence.
Finally, the bill confers the power to apprehend and return those in breach into custody. This sounds like a worthwhile initiative because of what it provides for and of the leeway it affords the provinces.
I must admit however that I am one of those who place more reliance on the social rehabilitation of offenders than on their imprisonment, except in very specific cases, such as for dangerous offenders, spousal abuse and a few other cases.
I am concerned about the current overcrowding in our prisons. The imprisonment rate in Canada is second only to that of the U.S. Need I remind the House that, south of our border, the imprisonment rate is growing without causing a drop in the crime rate.
The Association des services de réhabilitation sociale du Québec is right to be concerned, seeing just how extensive the problem is. Alternatives to imprisonment can be found in our society. It would be to everyone's advantage to stop and think about alternate courses of action in this area.
Nonetheless, I support this bill, which promotes the rehabilitation and social rehabilitation of offenders, while at the same time stating principles aimed at maintaining a fairer, safer and more peaceful society. As other colleagues have pointed out, these two principles are not always easy to administer when one is trying, on the one hand, to protect society and, on the other hand, to promote the rehabilitation of inmates.
I also support Bill C-53 because, while establishing a national regulatory framework for conditional release, it also gives the provinces a degree of flexibility. Indeed, this bill on prisons and reformatories allows the provinces to develop their own policy regarding temporary absence for reasons other than medical or humanitarian reasons, or to facilitate the prisoner's rehabilitation.
I believe that extending the period of temporary absence from 15 to 60 days complies with what the provinces want. This change will, among other things, help alleviate the problem of overcrowded prisons in our country.
From a financial point of view, it will help reduce government expenditures relating to the inmate population. In spite of the reservations expressed by some colleagues this afternoon, I feel that extending the period of temporary absence from 15 to 60 days is a positive change.
However, it is a fact that this change generates some concerns, particularly among prison authorities in Canada. For example, they fear that inmates who take advantage of the temporary absence program might present a danger to society. Therefore, it is important for the committee that will review this bill to hear these people, those who work in close co-operation with them, as well as the victims.
Another issue which deserves particular attention is the place of residence of those who are conditionally released. Obviously, if these people are released for medical reasons, it can be assumed that they will go to a hospital.
But where will the inmate released for compassionate reasons or rehabilitation go? It is important to point out that inmates serving a sentence of more than two years come under the federal system. Under this legislation, the inmates released on parole are housed in reformatories.
It has to be pointed out also that Bill C-53 does not talk much about the principle of protection of society. It should be more explicitly developed.
It would also be interesting to wonder whether it would be appropriate to include in this bill a specific clause about the right of victims. What these people, who often have been through dramatic situations, have to say about changing or cancelling parole should be taken into consideration by the authorities.
I take this opportunity to point out the excellent work the Maisons de transition de Montréal Inc. have been doing for 30 years, and especially their director general, François Bédard. The Saint-Laurent half-way house, located in my riding of Bourassa in Montreal North, is part of this organization. It provides support services, including room and board, for offenders and helps them reintegrate society. It can accommodate some thirty people. I wish it could have more money, more funding to be able to accommodate a larger number, because the results I have seen are very positive.
Under the terms of federal-provincial service agreements, paroled inmates are referred to halfway houses and more particularly to the Maison Saint-Laurent. I have visited this institution and met residents, volunteer workers, and highly qualified professionals. I can attest to the efforts they make to help inmates, and I congratulate them.
Let me remind members that in 1994-95, the federal and provincial governments spent $1.9 billion on prisons, that is $44,000 a year for each inmate in federal institutions and $39,000 for each inmate in provincial prisons. Why does it cost $5,000 more to house and feed an inmate in a federal institution? Could it be that the federal government is not as good a manager of prisons as the provinces?
I do not agree with my colleague that the federal government manages detention centres better. I would also like to take this opportunity to mention the existence of detention centres for immigrants. As you know, I am the critic for citizenship and
immigration. I had the chance to visit detention centres for immigrants in Montreal, Mississauga, and Vancouver.
In some cases, these centres are really prisons, with security guards from private agencies. But there are no clear rules in these centres. Arrests are made without warrant. Nobody knows when an immigrant is eligible for release or temporary leave. In some instances, men, women and children live all together in the same institution.
There is no judicial control over these arrests, usually made by immigration officers, and no control by the IRB, which is also a parajudicial court. Sometimes, the living conditions in these institutions are unacceptable. I was able to witness how awful the conditions are in Montreal, on Saint-Jacques Street, as well as in Mississauga, near the airport, and in Vancouver, also near the airport. Some of the inmates did not know why they had been arrested, how long they would be detained and when they would be entitled to be released or deported.
I even met a young Kurdish woman, in Mississauga, who had been arrested at Toronto airport, because she was believed to be dangerous. When I visited her, she started crying and then she told me: "I do not even know why I am being detained here. I never took part in any subversive activities, even though I am a Kurdish woman from-" -I think she was from Turkey.
I then asked why she was being detained. I was told: "She is here because no one is showing any concern about her", etc. But these are not valid reasons. No one knew when she would appear before an arbitrator who could order her release.
In these detention centres, the human rights enshrined in the Canadian charter and any provincial charter are not respected. Why are minors arrested? They have to live together, men, women and children alike. Unfortunately, we do not read about these people in the papers. I already asked the Minister of Immigration to hold a public inquiry into these detention centres for immigrants. Unfortunately, since the residents of these centres are all foreigners, they are not aware of Canadian laws. Often they do not have access to a lawyer or to an appropriate defence. And we get no complaints from them because they end up leaving the country.
I think we need to shed some light on this particular area. In a democratic society such as ours, we should not see people living in such unacceptable conditions.
Like my colleagues from Manicouagan and Bellechasse, I would like to conclude by telling you that I am in favour of this bill, which will reduce the costs associated with the incarceration of offenders and which will give the provinces more power and more flexibility to implement their own temporary absence programs.
Therefore, I will vote in favour of the principle of this bill at second reading.