The Honourable Dominic LeBlanc, Minister of Public Safety, Democratic Institutions and Intergovernmental Affairs, today issued the following statement:
"Since the Structured Intervention Unit (SIU) Implementation Advisory Panel's (the Panel) re-establishment in 2021, the Government of Canada remains strongly committed to the successful implementation of Structured Intervention Units. This second annual report provides us with valuable insight into the implementation of SIUs across federal correctional institutions, and their findings and recommendations are an important source of knowledge to help strengthen the SIU model.
The Government of Canada has responded to the Panel's recommendations and has noted the concerns expressed in this report and in previous Panel reports. Public Safety Canada (PS) has been actively pursuing various initiatives to improve upon several of these issues, in collaboration with the Independent External Decision-Makers (IEDMs), and the Correctional Service of Canada (CSC).
PS and CSC appreciate the Panel's role in ensuring SIUs are implemented as intended by law and CSC will undertake two separate analyses in response to the Panel's recommendations, and report back to the Minister of Public Safety with their findings and targeted, time-bound solutions.
We look forward to the continued input and collaboration of the Panel over the final year of its mandate to continue to expand our understanding of the issues and to work towards concrete solutions to support a sustainable federal correctional system that is safe, humane and supportive of rehabilitation and reintegration."
