Ottawa, Ontario
The principal objective of Canada's correctional system is the safe rehabilitation of offenders and their successful reintegration back into their communities. Yet reintegration often comes with unique challenges. Left unaddressed, these increase the likelihood of someone reoffending. The Government of Canada is committed to supporting those making this important transition and giving them the tools they need to succeed with it.
The Minister of Public Safety, the Honourable Marco Mendicino, today tabled in Parliament and launched the Federal Framework to Reduce Recidivism. It aims to break the cycle of reoffending, support rehabilitation and make our communities safer for everyone. Developed in consultation with a diverse array of stakeholders, the Framework outlines five priority themes key to the successful reintegration of offenders: housing, education, employment, health and positive support networks.
The Framework is an important first step. Within a year, the government will develop a plan to begin implementing it with concrete actions in these five areas, including identifying innovative pilot projects. Within three years, a report on the effectiveness of the Framework, including conclusions and recommendations, will be tabled in Parliament.
The Framework will also help address another major issue in Canada's criminal justice system: the overrepresentation of Indigenous Peoples, Black Canadians and other marginalized groups. The government will collaborate with a range of stakeholders, including community groups and advocates, to ensure that support is tailored to specific communities, incorporating trauma-informed approaches.
Today's announcement is one element of the government's broader commitment to reform the criminal justice system and address its disproportionate impact on certain communities, particularly Indigenous Peoples and Black Canadians. These include lowering the fee for a record suspension (pardon) to $50, introducing Bill C-5 to address harmful mandatory minimum sentences, developing an Indigenous-informed security classification process within the Correction Service of Canada (CSC), creating the new position of Deputy Commissioner for Indigenous Corrections and implementing CSC's Anti-Racism Framework and Actions.
