Louis Sebert

Yes, that certainly is possible, that prisoners with different designations would be mixed together, but I think that that wouldn't be such a big problem because you have to be motivated to want to enter the program. Hopefully, we would have motivated people from whatever security designation: minimum, medium, or maximum. Thank you.

Thank you. I don't have the exact numbers in front of me, but currently, SMCC meets the needs of minimum security inmates. Again, these numbers are available, I just don't happen to have them available in front of me. I don't know how near capacity the facility is. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Chair. Well, in my long experience, not too many ask for more time. I understand what you're saying. I mean we couldn't keep people in there who weren't serving a sentence. Obviously, they would have to avail themselves of other programs.

Thank you. I think those of us who had the opportunity of visiting Guthrie House were impressed by what they are doing there. We are hopeful that the same sort of therapeutic model would also work here. I don't believe, and perhaps Mr. Goldney can help me with this, I am not aware of any smaller jurisdictions that have attempted this model, but there may be other places across Canada that have. Thank you.

My understanding, subject to being corrected here, is that there could be minimum people in the program. However, many of the minimum security inmates are serving very short sentences and that's not the sort of sentence that would fit into this type of program. Perhaps Mr. Goldney can add or correct that if I've made an error. Thank you.

Yes. Thank you. Certainly, the enhancements that we have spoken of would allow a higher risk of offender in there, but I don't think we would be planning to have remands in there. Perhaps Mr. Goldney could elaborate on that. Thank you.

Yes. The fence is needed to turn the facility into a medium-custody facility, just as Guthrie House is in British Columbia, which is part of the Nanaimo Correctional Centre. This is a necessary change if we wish to move to this model. As I say, we are optimistic about moving to the model, optimistic that we will get results. Thank you.

Yes, thank you, Mr. Chair. As committee Members will know, we will be looking at South Mackenzie Correctional Centre as a therapeutic community based on the Guthrie House model that some of us have had the opportunity to attend in British Columbia. One of the things that would be necessary in that change would be to enhance the security of SMCC. An important part of that, in fact the important part, would be the perimeter fence. If we wish to complete this transition, it's necessary that we enhance security. The most important part of that, as I say, is the fence. Thank you, Mr. Chair.

Absolutely. That is a key part of the therapeutic community that we are envisioning, so yes. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I give notice that on Tuesday, October 30, 2018, I will move that Bill 30, An Act to Amend the Human Rights Act, be read for the first time. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.