House Hansard - 98

44th Parl. 1st Sess.

September 20, 2022 10:00AM

Ms. Kristina Michaud (Avignon—La Mitis—Matane—Matapédia, BQ)

Sep/20/22 10:27:03 a.m.
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Mr. Speaker, on a more sombre note, I would like, on behalf of all Bloc Québécois members, to offer my sincerest condolences to the victims of the horrific mass killings on the territory of the James Smith Cree Nation, in Weldon, in early September, as well as to their friends and family. Ten people were killed, 18 were wounded, and an entire community is now suffering and beginning a long healing process. Our thoughts also go out to the members of the community, at a time when the words “truth” and “reconciliation” often elicit painful memories. I can find no better way to express all of the compassion and sympathy such a traumatizing event deserves. However, words and good wishes are not enough. As members of Parliament, our duty is to see that events like this one never happen again. On that, a number of questions have been raised about the tragedy in the past few weeks, and they deserve answers. I sincerely hope that the House will have the wisdom and determination to find these answers in a bipartisan manner, without ulterior motives, for the benefit of the indigenous communities and the people we represent. A few hours after one of the two suspects was arrested, we learned that one was a repeat offender who had violated his parole conditions. According to an article in La Presse on September 7, last November, the suspect, whose name I will not mention, breached his parole conditions. In February the Parole Board of Canada, in its decision to maintain his release on parole, stated that the suspect did not represent “an undue risk to society”, after serving two-thirds of his sentence. The person convicted of no fewer than 59 criminal charges, including assault, assault with a weapon, assaulting a police officer and theft, did not pose an undue risk to society, according to the Parole Board of Canada. The suspect’s unsavoury record raises questions about his release on parole. Here is a question that is certainly worthwhile asking: After how many criminal charges does the Parole Board of Canada believe that a person poses a risk to society? Please do not misunderstand me: I respect the Parole Board of Canada. This is the kind of institution that is essential for Canadians’ safety. Having discussed the issue with officers, I understand that the means available to them are not always the most effective. In fact, they are often far from effective. This seems illogical in light of the societal impact of a decision to release an offender before the end of their sentence. In this case, it is difficult not to ask questions considering what appeared on the criminal record of one of the suspects. One question it is normal to ask after such an event is whether the support and means needed to monitor inmates and their rehabilitation are available. I know that this is a lot of work for officers and that there can be elements that are hard to prove to convince the board that an offender could truly represent a risk to society, particularly at a time when officers are overloaded. Perhaps the time has come for institutional reform. We could suggest that the Standing Committee on Public Safety and National Security investigate to determine whether adjustments are necessary. We know that, in June, the Minister of Public Safety launched the federal framework to reduce recidivism. I would like to point that out. On the other hand, since this is the government's first step in the development of a plan to identify the determining factors that influence recidivism and the appropriate means of supporting successful social reintegration, given the recent events at the James Smith Cree Nation, the committee should look into the question, if only to make adjustments to the framework. There is also the issue of mental health services for individuals known to police, such as the suspects in the tragedy. That was one of the suggestions made by the Office of the Correctional Investigator, which, in its 48th report, recommended that Correctional Service Canada “develop a reliable method for administratively tracking individuals with mental health concerns”. An appalling, horrifying and unspeakable event such as this one demands that we reflect on issues beyond the prison system. How can two individuals stab so many people in so little time in such cold blood? Should we be looking at other administrations that have a better track record than the federal organizations concerned? Ought we not look at Norway, which has the lowest recidivism rate in the world at 16%? We could look at Quebec, which, according to a 2019 study by the Centre interuniversitaire de recherche en analyse des organisations, has programs aimed at facilitating the social reintegration of inmates of prisons under provincial management that not only reduce recidivism but do so in a way that is “far better” than elsewhere in the world. With all due respect and sympathy to the victims, we need to raise awareness, offer suggestions and find solutions. The government can obviously count on the Bloc Québécois to find common and well-documented solutions to ensure that Canadians can feel completely safe. I sincerely hope that this appeal for collaboration will be heard and accepted and that it will lead to honest and necessary discussions that will benefit everyone. We could say that this was an isolated and very rare incident, ignore it and move on as though nothing had happened, and then turn away to not see the horror. However, I sincerely believe that we have a moral obligation to say to the people we represent, especially the community of James Smith, never again.

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House Hansard - 98