Dave MacKenzie

[Disposition of Abolition of Early Parole Act, February 11th, 2011]

Mr. Speaker, I appreciate the chance to rise in support of the motion before us today which would help to ensure that we pass Bill C-59 into law in the most timely and expeditious way possible.

The issue of accelerated parole review has been raised and debated in this place, as well as in other venues, and in the media, for quite some time. All of us have heard about the devastating consequences that while collar crimes such as fraud can have on the lives of Canadians. All of us have heard from Canadians about the need to take action to ensure that white collar criminals are held to account for their actions and the need to stand up for the victims of their crimes. Canadians have been quite clear. They want us to take action now and they want us to take action quickly, which is what the motion today intends to do.

Just a few years ago, many people might have regarded crimes such as fraud as victimless crimes since they seem to be committed against large organizations, corporations or governments.

Today, things have changed. We are now increasingly seeing the human face of fraud. I think it is safe to say that many Canadians have been shocked and angered by the harms caused by these acts. Savings have been wiped out and lives have been ruined. For many victims, they can never be returned to the position they were in before the crime.

As we know, under the current system, white collar offenders can be released after as little as one-sixth of their sentence in prison for their crimes. Bill C-59 would give us all a chance to change this and to support Canadians who have become the victims of crime.

Helping victims of crime has always been at the heart of this government's public safety and justice agenda. Our government is committed to ensuring that their voices are heard and that their concerns are taken seriously. That is one of our highest priorities and why we have taken action on a number of fronts.

Crime places a heavy toll on individual victims, their families, communities and society at large. That is why we have taken action to ensure that the scales of justice are balanced to include victims. One way we did this was by committing $52 million over four years to enhance the federal victims strategy so that government could better meet the needs of victims.

As one of our first moves, we created the Office of the Federal Ombudsman for Victims of Crime as an independent resource for victims.

The National Office for Victims at Public Safety Canada is also working to give victims a greater voice in the corrections and conditional release process and assisting victims in getting access to the information and services that they might need.

The Policy Centre for Victim Issues at the Department of Justice is also helping the government better meet the needs of victims, for example, by giving them the resources to attend parole hearings and to seek help if they experience crime while abroad.

Our government is also going one step further in helping victims connect to the services they need with the online victim services directory, which is available on the website of the Department of Justice Canada. The directory lets victims search for appropriate agencies in their area according to the type of victimization they have experienced and the type of support they seek. Our hope is that it can help ease the burden on victims of crime who do not know where to turn or which services are available to them.

All of those measures help to bring victims front and centre in the justice system and to ensure that their voices are heard.

In addition, of course, our government has also introduced a wide range of legislation to crack down on crime, gun crimes, in particular.

As well, our government has passed legislation to help combat the complex, serious and growing problems of identity theft and identity fraud.

We have also ensured that victims have a greater say in this country's parole system by introducing legislation that, among other things, would enshrine in law a victim's right to attend and make statements at Parole Board of Canada hearings, while preventing offenders, in most cases, from withdrawing their parole applications 14 days or less before a hearing date.

Victims of crime have asked for these changes. And our government has delivered.

Bill C-59 builds on and strengthens this already impressive track record of standing up for victims.

Victims of white collar crimes, and of fraud in particular, have been dismayed, in many cases, to find out that the offenders who carry out these acts can be released so soon after they are sentenced. Unless the Parole Board of Canada has reasonable grounds to believe these offenders will commit a violent offence if released, it must automatically release them into the community under supervision. This means that in some cases a fraudster, for example, could be back on the streets early.

Such a criminal could be sentenced to 12 years, but actually released into the community on day parole in just 2 years and fully paroled in just 4 years. The status quo gives the Parole Board of Canada no discretion in dealing with these cases.

The test is whether an offender is likely to commit a violent offence. As a result, even if the Parole Board believes the offender is likely to commit another fraud, theft or drug offence, it is compelled to release him or her. This truly offends Canadians' sense of justice. It undermines their faith in our justice and corrections system. Victims and, indeed, all Canadians want to see justice carried out and sentences served. Bill C-59 would do that.

Bill C-59 would, first and foremost, do away with the current system's accelerated parole review, whereby offenders who commit non-violent crimes such as fraud can be released on day parole after serving as little as one-sixth of their sentence. Under the changes our government is proposing, offenders who commit fraud and other white collar crimes will be put on the same footing as other offenders. They will be eligible for regular day parole review six months prior to full parole eligibility and full parole review after serving one-third of their sentences. They will have to face the full consequences of their actions.

The message that we are sending with Bill C-59 is that if people commit the crime, they will do the time. We are saying with this legislation that the needs of victims are paramount. We are saying that their interests come first. We are saying that all of us remain committed to cracking down on crime and standing up for the rights of victims. That is what Canadians want. They want us to continue standing up for victims and to ensure that their voices are heard. They want us to continue to ensure that all offenders are held to account for their actions.

Most of all, Canadians want us to work together in the spirit of co-operation to take action now to ensure the changes our government is proposing are passed into law so victims of fraud and other white collar crimes can in fact see justice done.

I therefore urge all hon. members to support the motion before us today and to work with the government to ensure Bill C-59 receives speedy passage.

[Canada Border Service Agency, February 11th, 2011]

Mr. Speaker, CBSA announced that merging its administrative services in southern Ontario would be done to increase efficiency and save taxpayer money. Fort Erie, Ontario has been chosen as the location for the new regional headquarters office.

Let us look at the facts. All points of entry will remain and there are no border closures as a result of merging these regions.

I call on the NDP and the opposition coalition to stop caring more about the perpetrators of crime than they do about victims and pass our bill to abolish accelerated parole review.

[Contraband Tobacco, February 11th, 2011]

Mr. Speaker, we are happy to work with everyone to cut down on illegal tobacco entering the country and the illegal manufacture of tobacco in our country. That obviously impacts everyone.

We look forward to working with our colleagues across the floor as we have been with agencies inside and outside of government.

[Contraband Tobacco, February 11th, 2011]

Mr. Speaker, this government and provincial governments along the border have taken up additional roles. The seizure of contraband and illegally produced cigarettes has gone up. As the member knows, we take this issue very seriously.

We have been working with our American neighbours to patrol the Great Lakes and this has been a factor in cutting down on that.

[Public Safety, February 11th, 2011]

Mr. Speaker, as the House leader mentioned earlier this morning, we want to help victims. The Bloc members have agreed with us. People who have taken money from seniors across the country and have been sentenced to prison will be released after serving one-sixth of their time. I wish the opposite side would look at that cost and work with us.

[Public Safety, February 11th, 2011]

Mr. Speaker, the one thing we know for sure is that there is a cost to victims. The members on the other side have always ignored that fact. The minister and others have appeared. As this evolves, the opposite side should be well aware that this side stands on the side of victims.

[February 9th, 2011]

Madam Speaker, through the whole six minutes of my colleague's talk I never heard the name “victim” mentioned once.

Let me clarify that this government, through Correctional Service Canada, is committed to achieving the best standard of care and correctional results for federal offenders with mental health needs. We aim to protect all Canadians, which includes ensuring the safe and effective treatment of mentally ill offenders both within correctional facilities and in communities across Canada.

Through its mental health care strategy, Correctional Service Canada is improving the continuum of care for offenders by identifying and assessing the mental health needs of offenders and admission to a federal correctional facility, to treating those needs through mental health care services and programs within correctional facilities and ensuring that this care is carried out into the community once the offender is released.

As a result of these measures, Canadians can feel safe and secure knowing that the mental health needs of federal offenders are being addressed through Correctional Service Canada's national mental health strategy.

[February 9th, 2011]

Madam Speaker, the matter that my colleague first raised is truly a tragic situation that occurred. If my colleague was not quite so partisan and he went back and looked at what he first said, he would understand that the issue he raised to begin with was an issue of mental health in the communities, which is a provincial matter. However, I am prepared to answer his issue with respect to Canada's treatment of mentally ill offenders within the Canadian federal correctional facilities.

While I am not at liberty to comment on any specific case under the provisions of the Privacy Act, I can assure the members that our government is committed to providing reasonable and effective levels of mental health services for offenders.

As members are aware, our government is concerned first and foremost with public safety. Correctional Service Canada contributes to public safety by managing institutions at various security levels, preparing offenders for safe release and supervising offenders under conditional release in the community. Part of this continuum of care is effectively addressing and treating the mental health needs of offenders.

Correctional Service Canada routinely deals with high risk offenders whose needs are complex and diverse. This includes mental illness, drug and alcohol addiction, anger and violence issues. As for treating mental illness, when the mental health needs of offenders are addressed through assessment and treatment, public safety and the safety of staff and offenders are enhanced.

This is why improving the capacity to address the mental health needs of offenders is a key priority for Correctional Service Canada. To fulfill this priority, the CSC has developed a mental health care strategy to improve the continuum of mental health care provided to offenders. The strategy is intended to address the mental health care needs of offenders at all stages of incarceration, from intake to transitional care for offenders being released into the community.

This mental health care strategy includes five key components: mental health screening at intake; primary mental health care in institutions; intermediate mental health care to address the needs of offenders who are unable to cope in regular institutional settings; intensive care at regional treatment centres for those who require that level of intensive care; and transitional care for release to the community.

In support of this strategy, the CSC has also implemented several management practices, such as the provision of mental health training to both mental health professionals and correctional staff.

Let me be clear. Our government is concerned about the mental health needs and treatment of offenders and is proud of the CSC's efforts to address this issue. Through budget 2008, and as part of the Government of Canada's plan to transform the federal correctional system, the CSC received permanent funding of $16.6 million annually for institutional mental health services, commencing in fiscal year 2009-2010.

Through these resources and support, this government trusts that CSC will continue to effectively treat mentally ill offenders within Canadian federal correctional facilities.

[February 7th, 2011]

Madam Speaker, the government is committed to ensuring that the rights of Canadians, as guaranteed under the Charter of Rights and Freedoms, are protected. For this reason, the government allocated the required resources to protect Canadians and visitors to this country from those who would break Canadian laws and disrupt our society through violent actions.

The massive security operation that was involved in the G8 and G20 summits was designed to protect the internationally protected persons participating in the summits, residents of this country and the guests who came to peacefully participate in the summits. The security operation involved a large amount of resources to achieve these goals and was in fact highly successful.

There are existing mechanisms in place to handle public complaints and provide an oversight function for every police force that participated in the Integrated Security Unit. These oversight bodies exist to perform the oversight function that ensures police are accountable to the citizens of their respective jurisdiction.

[February 7th, 2011]

Madam Speaker, it is a fact that international events, such as the G8 and G20 summits that engage the participation of a large number of world leaders, routinely draw large numbers of protesters. Some protesters are determined to undermine the agenda of these meetings, destroy public and private property and carry out various acts of senseless violence. In fact, they plan to do so on a premeditated basis, planning and evolving techniques to cause as much disorder as they are capable of.

The international community has witnessed this trend over a decade now, starting with the World Trade Organization meeting in Seattle in 1999. Similar acts of civil disobedience are not restricted to countries halfway around the world. Canada witnessed this first-hand in Quebec City in 2001. As a government, we were committed to ensuring this type of activity was kept to a minimum.

When international events, such as the G8 and G20 summits, are held in Canada, the RCMP works in partnership with police and security partners through the Integrated Security Unit. The goal is to provide a safe environment for the participants and visitors, as well as the general public.

The RCMP takes particular care to ensure the fundamental freedoms of expression and peaceful assembly under the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms are respected. The provision of security for the summits was no small undertaking and required the largest, most complex peacetime security operation in Canada's history to protect Canadian residents, as well as guests and leaders from around the world.

Throughout the preparation, delivery and closing phases of the summits, this government has demonstrated that it takes security, transparency and accountability seriously. The government provided the necessary resources to ensure the summits could proceed in a safe and secure manner. To be as transparent as possible with security preparations, policing and security agencies worked closely with members of the community to keep them aware of security developments. This approach led directly to the summits being deemed a success by participants and by this government.

Although the summits were a large undertaking that required significant security requirements, the government remains committed to ensuring public trust and accountability. In fact, each of the participating Integrated Security Unit partners has existing police oversight mechanisms in place to receive and assess public complaints should members of the public wished to make a complaint about police response during the summits.