Parliamentary Committee Notes: Impact of Bill C-83 and its impact on the security reclassification of inmates, their transfer, and victims
The Government of Canada remains focused on ensuring that federal correctional institutions provide a safe and secure environment conducive to inmate rehabilitation, staff safety and the protection of the public.
With the passage and coming into force of Bill C-83, the Government of Canada has taken important steps to transform the federal correctional system by making amendments to the Corrections and Conditional Release Act.
In particular, Bill C-83 eliminated administrative segregation and created Structured Intervention Units, made changes to the structure of health care governance to support the professional autonomy and independence of health care professionals, and set out factors to be taken into account when making decisions affecting Indigenous offenders.
Bill C-83 made no legislative changes which specifically impacted the security classification of federal offenders nor on the ability of victims to attend parole hearings.
On the contrary, it strengthened the role of registered victims by ensuring that they have the ability to listen to an audio recording of a parole hearing for the offender who harmed them.
In addition, the Corrections and Conditional Release Act continues to mandate the “protection of society” as the paramount consideration in all independent and professional decisions made by the Correctional Service of Canada and the Parole Board of Canada.
The Government is committed to delivering public safety results for Canadian and ensuring that victims of crime are supported and continue to have a voice in the criminal justice system.