SECU Committee Report

Liberal Supplemental Report to the Standing Committee on Public Safety & National Security Report on the Parole Board of Canada and the Circumstances that led to a Young Woman’s Death:

The Liberal Members of the Standing Committee on National Security and Public Safety are generally in agreement with the report on the tragic death of Marylène Levesque. 

We feel that the Correctional Service of Canada – Parole Board of Canada National Joint Board of Investigation report, which was co-chaired by two criminologists independent of the Correctional Services of Canada (CSC) and the Parole Board of Canada (PBC) should be fully implemented.  It is important to note the independent investigation did not find any errors with the Parole Board of Canada, but did make recommendations for CSC.

During the course of the study, we heard from witnesses about the precarious position that the previous Harper government has put sex workers in and this needs to be addressed.  We also heard that better supports could be provided for parole officers working in the community.  Therefore, we recommend that the Government of Canada:

Recommendation 1

That the Government of Canada implement all recommendations found in the Correctional Service of Canada – Parole Board of Canada National Joint Board of Investigation report into the release and supervision of an offender on day  parole charged in relation to a serious incident in Sainte-Foy, Quebec on January 23, 2020.

Recommendation 2

That the Government of Canada review best practices for corrections and parole in other countries.

Recommendation 3

That the Government of Canada encourage Correctional Service Canada to increase the number of Parole Officers in the community, to review and improve Parole Officer training and oversight to ensure they can effectively manage their caseloads, to pay Parole Officers when they are required to work overtime and to ensure that Parole Officers are adequately replaced when on leave; and that the Government of Canada ensure that Correctional Service Canada has the appropriate funding to do so by reallocation of resources of otherwise.

Recommendation 4

That the Government of Canada review the legislation regarding sex work in Canada.

Recommendation 5

That the Government of Canada encourage Correctional Service Canada and the Parole Board of Canada to develop mandatory training for Parole Officers and Parole Board Members on domestic and intimate partner violence, sex work and sexual assault, in consultation with sex workers and women and gender rights organizations.

Recommendation 6

That the Government of Canada encourage Correctional Service Canada to review and enhance vocational programming for inmates in federal prisons, to ensure that training is appropriate to the needs and abilities of inmates.