Public Safety committee  That's a good question. The funding we're receiving in the supplementary (C)s is really to assist us with the web portal that the Correctional Service of Canada is going to be providing us. With that, we'll be able to provide victims with an electronic means to register and to

Public Safety committee  Well, we'd have to see what the legislation brings forward before we could actually make a determination on how that might impact us. First of all, there are no pardons. They're record suspensions. If the term is going to be changed, then the legislation would have to be change

Public Safety committee  I just have—

Public Safety committee  It has to be a written request.

Public Safety committee  Yes, but that—

Public Safety committee  Yes.

Public Safety committee  That's true.

Public Safety committee  That's a good question.

Public Safety committee  A legislative change would be required to open up the decision registry.

Public Safety committee  There has to be a request, because there is a security clearance check that has to be done for individuals entering into an institution.

Public Safety committee  As board members assess the risk of an offender, they first look at the charges that the offender was convicted of. They look at any prior criminal history that he may have, as well as any relevant societal issues, such as being a victim himself in his own childhood, victimizatio

Public Safety committee  That would be one area that a board member would take into account. However, they're going to look at all of the factors. It's not just one factor that will decide whether this individual is going to be released on parole or not. There are a number of factors that are looked into

Public Safety committee  In relation to the indigenous file or indigenous offenders, we have found that the elder-assisted hearings we have, or the community-assisted hearings that are done as well on occasion, appear to be very successful for both the offender and for the offender going back into the co

Public Safety committee  Again, I think it's partly education and the fact that all lifers—and I won't speak about one particular individual—have their first opportunity for a parole hearing at 22 years, three years prior to their 25 years. They will always be on parole. Lifers will never be released bac

Public Safety committee  In relation to the Parole Board, when we came to the board in 2009, the biggest issue we had was education. I'm from western Canada. I grew up close to a first nations community, so my background and my knowledge is there, but many Canadians have never been involved with or live