National Joint Committee of Senior Criminal Justice Officials Annual Report 2006-2007
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Table of contents
Message from the Chair
I am pleased to present the annual report of the National Joint Committee of Senior Criminal Justice Officials (NJC) for the 2006-07 fiscal year. This report describes the major activities and achievements of the NJC and its regional committees (Maritimes, Quebec, Ontario, Prairies and Pacific).
Every year, the NJC holds two national meetings. Additionally, the chairs of the regional committees hold 30 or so meetings throughout the country's five regions. A wide variety of issues are discussed, such as: organized crime, street crimes, street gangs, aboriginal issues, high-risk offenders, child abuse, victims' rights and the sex offender registry. The regional committees invite representatives of their respective communities to take part in these discussions.
We hold the national meeting in May in one of the five regions, while the November meeting is usually held in Ottawa, so that more representatives from Public Safety Canada (PS) can take part.
In fall 2006, NJC and PS assumed a lead role in the design and delivery of the event entitled What Works in the Community Reintegration of High-Risk Offenders. It brought together more than 250 participants from Canada and around the world, including many NJC representatives. Public Safety Minister Stockwell Day opened the conference and then-Justice Minister, Vic Toews, delivered closing remarks. It was a remarkable conference that, once again, proved the importance of NJC to the criminal justice professionals and officials from the federal, provincial and territorial governments.
Congratulations to all our members who organized, presented or assisted at the conference. Thanks especially to Gregory J. Fitch, then-Chair of the Pacific region for his hard work leading up to and during the event. Jennifer Millenor of Correctional Service Canada has contributed an article in this annual report, telling about the event.
Our semi-annual meeting in Niagara Falls in May 11-12, 2006 was entitled Working Together for Safer Communities. The meeting, which enabled a broad discussion, represented a further step in the development of programs and services needed to address issues such as offender management, long term supervision orders and drug treatment courts.
The success of the NJC has always been attributable to the dedication and participation of our members. During the last years of my mandate as Chair of the NJC, I have had the pleasure to work with members of the national and regional committees who have given me every reason to be confident that the NJC has made a valuable contribution to the criminal justice system.
As I look forward to the upcoming year, and the work ahead for the NJC, I am certain that it can continue to be a driving force in the criminal justice system in the years to come.
The current government has said that the safety of its citizens is its prime objective. The NJC will contribute in fulfilling this mandate by facilitating dialogue among criminal justice professionals on the enforcement of laws and legislation and by focusing on crime prevention. Our upcoming meetings will explore a variety of issues concerning the public safety community. I am confident that we will build on the success of the past years.
In conclusion, I would like to thank all NJC regional committees for their significant contribution to the criminal justice community and the safety of all Canadians.
Mr. Pierre Sangollo, Chair
National Joint Committee of Senior Criminal Justice Officials
Background information
The National Joint Committee of Senior Criminal Justice Officials was established in 1973 under the joint auspices of the Canadian Association of Chiefs of Police (CACP) and the National Parole Board (NPB).
The purpose of the committee was to improve communication, understanding and cooperation among police and corrections officials. Its founding members were senior police officers representing the CACP, RCMP, and officials from the NPB.
Over the years, the committee has expanded to include members from the Correctional Service of Canada (CSC), the Canadian Association of Crown Counsel (CACC) and the First Nation Association of Chiefs of Police. It now also brings together representatives from Public Safety Canada, the Department of Justice and provincial Crowns.
The NJC has become an efficient and effective mechanism for communication and consultation between its member organizations, the various federal, provincial and municipal police services and other stakeholders in the criminal justice system.
The NJC acts as a partner to all levels of government, providing advice on matters brought forth by departments, agencies and services from all jurisdictions.
Today, the NJC is a uniquely coast-to-coast forum. It is the sole forum in Canada that engages operational administrators, representatives from government and non-governmental organizations and other stakeholders in discussions about the criminal justice system.
Highlights from the semi-annual national meeting
Community reintegration of high-risk offenders – What Works Conference 2006
By Jennifer Millenor, Horizontal Communications Coordinator, Media Relations, Communications and Citizen Engagement Sector
The distraction of details and the pace of our everyday work sometimes obscure the big picture. This conference helped push aside the distractions. The big picture became clear.
In late November 2006, I had the opportunity to take a break from my everyday work in Communications and participate in the What Works conference sponsored by Public Safety Canada and the National Joint Committee of Senior Criminal Justice Officials. The theme of this year's conference was "What works in the community reintegration of high-risk offenders".
I sat close to the front of the Ballroom in the Chateau Laurier. The room was full. More than 275 people from a variety of specializations had travelled from across Canada and around the world to collect and share their knowledge and experiences in the area of preventing recidivism among our most challenging criminal cases.
There were lawyers and law enforcement officials, doctors of psychology and correctional professionals, researchers and non-governmental agencies; there were participants from the United Kingdom, the Netherlands, the United States, Australia and a delegation from China. All were gathered to share and establish national and international best practices.
As I surveyed that room and saw the various professionals there, it sparked the profound realization that there are thousands of dedicated and influential people in our country and abroad who are working every day to improve the way we manage and treat high-risk offenders and to actively prevent their re-offending.
I watched the Chinese delegation nodding attentively and taking copious notes as they listened to Canadian authorities discuss our clinical knowledge of high-risk and mentally-disordered offenders, and our practical approaches to preventing behaviour patterns that end in violence or aggression. It was a reminder that Canada enjoys a strong reputation for excellence in corrections. In a sad way, it was also somewhat reassuring to hear that the issues and challenges we face in corrections in Canada are shared by our neighbours around the world.
Opened by Public Safety Minister Stockwell Day and closed by then-Justice Minister, Vic Toews, the conference had a strong presence from the federal government. With the current government emphasis on tackling crime, it is not surprising that they would be supportive of a gathering of this nature.
Aside from the political support, there were two strong messages that I want to share with you. The first is that the Correctional Service of Canada (CSC) is widely praised by our provincial colleagues in corrections, by those in the judiciary, and especially by Canadian law enforcement agencies for the tremendous advancements we have made in the collection and sharing of relevant information for offenders under supervision orders. Many times over the course of the two-day conference, CSC was credited with providing timely access to information that directly enabled the swift intervention of police when a criminal pattern of behaviour became evident.
The other consistent message was that well-trained, dedicated Circles of Support and Accountability are the best method for the safe supervision of high-risk offenders. Circle members are often professionals. They have direct access to the police officer who is responsible for each particular case file; they may have access to the offender's psychologist or other medical professionals to report any abnormalities in behaviour. Circle members dedicate many volunteer hours to the offender, for a coffee, a meal or a late night telephone call. Often, the offender simply needs to be reassured that there are people who believe he can succeed and also be reminded that those same people won't tolerate any action that might jeopardize their community's safety.
It's an intuitive message, really. There is a greater likelihood for successful and crime-free reintegration of the offender – most often a marginalized member of society without many positive social networks – and for him to find success, build self-esteem, and begin better patterns of behaviour when he is "circled" by caring members of the community. These respectable community members offer positive, sensitive and caring role models and they are clear that their role is to support the offender in his efforts to live in a way that society will accept. They do not tolerate behaviour that is contrary to the offender's release order nor that offends society or harms its citizens.
The way I see it, the Circles program is the ultimate in community corrections. It offers communities ownership and collaboration with the thousands of professionals who work tirelessly to ensure that we continue to enjoy safe and healthy communities. If that isn't an international best practice in community collaboration, I don't know what is.
The organizers of this remarkable conference received many notes of praise for this conference but for me the following one, in particular, captures the spirit of What Works 2006:
"In the permanent Canadian collection of the National Art Gallery in Ottawa, there is a large canvas called The Smiths, by a virtually unknown painter. The piece depicts a number of ironworkers struggling over hot coals in an apparent effort to bend an iron bar. The next time you are there, look closely at the man depicted on the left side of the piece. You will note on his face a rather obvious smile. To me, the painting conveys a satisfaction which is borne of collegiality, hard work and collaborative effort. That is what the latest installment in the What Works conference series has been about for me."
The What Works conference took participants around the world of corrections from Holland to Australia, and introduced us to people whose expertise and dedication are humbling. After two days and 31 pages of notes, I've realized that the details of our everyday work at CSC are important – not only because they contribute to a body of knowledge ensuring safe communities in Canada – but also because our knowledge and experiences connect us to a broad international group of professionals pursuing everyday details of their own. Together, imagine what we can accomplish.
Regional committee highlights
Atlantic region
Chair: Pierre Castonguay
Activities
The Atlantic regional committee met regularly during the year by telephone conference, planning for its annual meeting and future annual meeting, considering topics which would interest the regular participants and attract new delegates to the NJC.
The annual meeting was held November 2 and 3, 2006 in Moncton, N.B. with a theme entitled "The Aboriginal perspective within the criminal justice system". The meeting was attended by approximately 60 people including presenters. Participants and presenters represented the entire spectrum of members of the criminal justice community including corrections officers, police, prosecutors, parole/probation services and the senior managers in those organizations. As well, the meeting was attended by aboriginal chiefs, band councilors, cultural advisors and elders.
Chief Peter Paul and Barbara Calderone of the Pabineau First Nation presented on the pressing need for support mechanisms for Aboriginal offenders while incarcerated and upon their release, and the need to strengthen relationships between Aboriginal communities and the criminal justice system. They spoke of the over-representation of Native offenders within the criminal justice system as demonstrated in 1996-2004 statistics. Problems still exist regarding access to culturally appropriate rehabilitative programs, lack of migration to medium and minimum security facilities, and limited support network.
Dr. Bill Beahen, Program Director, Law Enforcement Aboriginal and Diversity (LEAD) Network, Canadian Association of Chiefs of Police (CACP) gave an overview of what the LEAD program is doing to address uninformed practices in policing Aboriginal and diverse communities in Canada. He gave a brief review of his professional background where he saw firsthand the evolution of community awareness within policing in general and the RCMP in particular. Police services today aim to tailor law enforcement practices to meet the needs of communities.
LEAD is a special program of CACP acting to enhance the work of a group of police services across Canada dedicated to raising the bar on how to consult with and serve Aboriginal and diverse communities, and how to instill cultural competency into all law enforcement employees. It is their mission to achieve a common professional approach by all Canadian law enforcement agencies towards relationships with Aboriginal and diverse communities. LEAD Network is a program supported by CACP with over 200 registered police services, agencies and community representatives, comprising 630 individuals. A working group of police officers across Canada reports to the Program Director; they speak for and deliver outcomes to frontline officers.
At the conclusion of the conference, all participants noted the quality of the presentations and the value of the information provided. Several suggestions were put forward for consideration for the next annual conference scheduled to be held in Halifax in the fall of 2007.
The NJC Atlantic annual meeting continued to expand on the core purpose of NJC: to provide a forum for the participants in the criminal justice community to meet and discuss criminal justice issues and to develop partnerships for the improvement of the administration of justice in Canada.
The final business at the annual meeting was a recognition of the work of James Martin whose term as NJC Atlantic Chair was coming to an end. Pierre Castonguay will now be assuming the Chair position for the next two years.
Membership
The executive committee members for 2006/2007 consisted of the following individuals and organizations:
- Pierre Castonguay, NJC Atlantic Chair, Office of the Attorney General, New Brunswick
- James C. Martin, past-Chair, Dept. of Justice, Canada
- Ed Huzulak, Edmunston Regional Police
- Edgar MacLeod, Chief, Cape Breton Regional Police
- Marvin McNutt, Dept. of Justice, Nfld. & Labrador, Corrections & Community Service
- Art Robson, National Parole Board
- Jeanne LeBlanc, Corrections Canada
- Gil Rhodes, Corrections Canada
Final note
Jeanne LeBlanc of Corrections Canada conducted the daily administration of the Atlantic regional committee and conference preparations. She has since been replaced by Carmen Goudreau, also of Corrections Canada. Jeanne's hard work, and the support of the Atlantic regional committee by Corrections Canada, has been greatly appreciated by the Chair and all members of the Committee, and we will miss her energy and enthusiasm.
Quebec region
Chair: Mario Gisondi
Activities
The Quebec regional committee met four times in 2006-07. The year's first meeting was held in May 2006 at the RCMP offices in Westmount. Committee members attended a presentation on the Canadian Criminal Identification Services given by Brian C. Redmond, Inspector, and R.M. (Bob) Thompson, Superintendent, Royal Canadian Mounted Police. This presentation was very much appreciated and answered the various questions raised during discussions at previous meetings. It also confirmed that maintaining the lines of communication open between various groups is critical.
During the meetings that followed, members focused their discussions on updating the working group's reference paper on the management of justice partners, the 2007 action plan/committee priorities and the "What works" conference held in November 2006 in Ottawa.
Updating the FPS was also on the agenda at a number of our meetings, as this was a dominant issue in several of our organizations.
Other current issues discussed at length were long-term supervision cases and the imposition of section 810.
Members also invited Céline Cyr, Direction générale des poursuites publiques, Ministère de la Justice du Québec, for a presentation on the Corrections Act and the Act respecting the Quebec correctional system, in response to amendments to the Act, and to encourage police forces to become involved in the IJIS project to link information sharing systems between partners.
During the last meeting of the year in March 2007, members reviewed the current year and discussed forecasts for 2007-08 as well as the regional meeting to be held in May 2007. In addition, they marked the retirement of Gary McConnell, Chief Inspector, Direction des renseignements criminels de la Sûreté du Québec, who had become a Committee member five years earlier.
Recent accomplishments
- High-Risk Offender Program: This program is designed to better protect society from violent offenders with a high risk of re-offending.
- Training and information video: Production of a video to inform and train various stakeholders on how to execute warrants of suspension against people under supervision. This bilingual publication is distributed across Canada.
- Electronic information exchange between Correctional Service of Canada and Quebec police services:
Exchange mechanism for transferring all relevant information about individuals of common interest, including those on parole and/or unlawfully at large, between correctional and police services.
- Federal/provincial agreement on information sharing:
Agreement signed on the sharing of information between members of the regional joint committee when individuals are convicted or released.
- Organization of special days:
Organization of information and training days for criminal justice stakeholders.
- Promotional leaflet:
The Quebec regional committee published this promotional leaflet as a way to be proactive.
- Preparation of a reference paper on managing justice partners:
Development of a common knowledge base to coordinate the efforts of each organization in managing justice partner files.
New partnership working group
The mission of the Quebec regional committee is to contribute to the establishment of effective partnerships to improve the administration of criminal justice in Quebec. As part of its work, the regional committee discusses the difficult task of managing justice partners at various stages in the legal process and the need for effective cooperation between all the organizations involved. Such a challenge requires each stakeholder to have thorough knowledge of the structure in place and the constraints and concerns of all its partners.
For this reason, the regional committee decided to create a working group responsible for this file. The working group's objective is therefore to establish effective networking links between those responsible for managing justice partners, develop a common knowledge base, and identify current shortcomings or problems. The working group must provide the regional committee with suggested solutions to coordinate the efforts of each organization in administering these files and in managing individuals who became informers.
Priorities for 2007-08
- Justice partners: This subject is still of interest in 2007-08. The working group will continue to hold meetings in order to complete the reference paper.
- Section 810, long-term supervision, supervision of dangerous offenders:
A presentation on these various topics is suggested to look into the feasibility of organizing a day's meeting on these concerns.
- Obtaining criminal history and updating the FPS:
This is a subject of concern to all members. The members would like, following information gathering about the issue, to develop possible solutions to move the matter forward.
- Terrorism:
It was agreed that, in 2006-07, various specialists from our respective organizations should be invited to pool our knowledge.
Membership
The Quebec regional committee includes representatives from the following organizations:
- Canadian Association of Crown Counsel
- Association des Directeurs de Police du Québec
- Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions
- National Parole Board
- Commission québécoise des libérations conditionnelles
- Direction générale des services correctionnels du Québec
- Royal Canadian Mounted Police
- Correctional Service of Canada
- Service de Police de la Ville de Montréal
- Sûreté du Québec
Ontario region
Chair: Mike Federico
Activities
The Ontario regional committee has maintained and nurtured the partnerships built over the course of the past few years. One of the ways it does this is through regular meetings.
Ontario region routinely holds two meetings a year, usually in the spring and the fall. In 2006 it held its spring meeting in May, in Niagara Falls, and its fall meeting in November, in Ottawa. In May, the Ontario regional committee also hosted the national chapter's annual general meeting, and participated in the What Works Conference sponsored by the NJC and Public Safety Canada.
Information sharing
For some time, the Ontario regional committee has supported the need for an agreement between police and correctional agencies in Ontario to cover the release of information, particularly about victims and witnesses. While several local arrangements exist, no guide exists that could form the basis for a consistent province-wide approach.
The matter was referred to the Ontario Association of Chiefs of Police (OACP), and at its annual general meeting (June 22, 2005) the OACP adopted Resolution 2005–02, Disclosure of Police Records to Corrections and Parole Authorities. To move the matter forward, the Committee met with the Ministry of Community Safety and Correctional Services (MCSCS) where it was agreed that, while changes to the regulations of the Police Services Act (PSA) were pursued, an All Chiefs' Memo would be issued to encourage compliance among police services Ontario wide (ref: Nov 24, '05 minutes).
In May of 2006, a comprehensive package, including an appropriately worded All Chiefs' Memo, was produced and expected to be distributed that year. The package explained a Chief's authorities when considering the release of information of the type contemplated, and the Ministry believed the package would provide Chiefs of Police with the reassurances they sought. But to ensure the memo fully conformed with the spirit as well as the letter of privacy legislation, the MCSCS asked the opinion of the Privacy Commissioner. At its November meeting, the Committee was told that the Privacy Commissioner found the memo a risk to privacy and refused her endorsement. Without the Privacy Commissioner's approval, the MCSCS believed it was not able to release the memo. Despite their disappointment, members decided to ask the OACP to resubmit their original resolution to the Ministry.
Revisions to NJC Police Handbook
In 2000, the Ontario region published a handbook "intended as a rapid reference resource on conditional release of adult offenders, federal and provincial, within the Ontario region (NJC-Ontario Region Police Handbook, 2)". In 2005, Ontario region committed to update the booklet to reflect recent changes to the National Parole Board and the Ontario Board of Parole and Earned Remission. The revisions were completed and the booklet was republished in 2006. Distribution to police services in Ontario will take place in 2007.
Police-corrections liaison officers
To help manage offenders on conditional release serving their sentences in the community, CSC established a liaison program with local police, whereby a police officer working on-site at a CSC community facility, provides a conduit of information and advice between the police and CSC. The police officer is seconded to CSC and the salaries of the police officers are paid by CSC. The benefits of this arrangement include the timely exchange of information and a prompt police response when needed. The program is running in several locations, including Toronto and Hamilton, where it is receiving favourable reports. Members believe this initiative promises to further improve offender management by promoting a freer exchange of information between police and correctional and parole authorities province-wide, especially when combined with the All Chiefs Memo (refer to item #1).
Membership
At the end of 2006, the Ontario regional committee included members who represented:
- Correctional Service of Canada
- Ontario Correctional Services
- National Parole Board
- Police Services (Durham Region, Hamilton, Toronto, Niagara Regional, Ontario Provincial, RCMP)
- Ontario Board of Parole and Earned Remission
- Ontario Association of Crown Attorneys
- Ministry of the A. G., Victims of Crime
- Ministry of Public Safety and Security
Membership has expanded to include Brian Mullan, Chief of Police of Hamilton PS, and Brian Fazackerely, Staff Inspector, Durham Regional Police. Hamilton Police have a rich history of progressive offender management in the community, and NJC can benefit from Brian Fazackerely's association with the Police Legal Advisors of the Ontario Association of Chiefs of Police (OACP).
Prairie region
Chair: Wayne Michaluk
Activities
Over the last six months, the Prairie regional committee has been active in establishing its roots in major cities across the three Prairie provinces and north western Ontario. It is a vast region and one that requires much coordination and cooperation in its efforts to ensure strong NJC representation.
Our Chairperson Hal Zorn continues to serve a tour of duty with the United Nations in a policing role in East Timor. Hal has kept us updated on events in that country and expresses how grateful we should all be to be living in a great country such as Canada. Hal is scheduled to return to his duties at the Regina City Police this winter 2007 and we expect him to be back in his role as the Prairie Region Chair at that time.
Strong representation and efforts for NJC in the communities of Winnipeg, Regina, The Pas, and Brandon/Westman Area are recognized. Alberta and specifically Calgary and Edmonton continue to face challenges in establishing a strong and consistent representation for the NJC in their communities. This will continue to be the goal for these communities.
Events over the last six months in the Prairie region have focused on NJC members speaking to issues surrounding gang problems in local communities and gaining information to better position themselves to address the challenges.
Presentations on preventive security and intelligence from policing and corrections have also led to concerns about intelligence sharing among agencies. It is critical that our agencies work more closely to ensure sensitive information is shared across all levels of the justice system. Trust is a key factor.
Staff safety – and measures to enhance safety – remains a topic of interest for future meetings in the Prairies. The meetings at each site have consistently contributed to the development of positive working relationships with partners in the justice community. The Prairie regional committee continues to recognize the value of the NJC and is committed to developing relationships, providing advice and enhancing communication at all levels of the criminal justice system.
The Prairie regional committee will be hosting the semi-annual national meeting in Winnipeg from May 9 -11, 2007. The theme for the meeting is "Working together to prevent gang related crime". With the efforts of the Winnipeg Committee, the agenda has been set that will provide an overview of the efforts of the justice community in the Prairies to address gang related challenges. The Prairie regional committee and specifically the Winnipeg committee welcome all the regional representatives. They are all looking forward to hosting everyone at an informative and insightful meeting.
New Officers Handbook
The Prairie regional committee is in the process of publishing a Prairie Region Police Officer's Handbook on Corrections and Conditional Release for distribution this summer 2007. With the efforts and commitment from the Correctional Service of Canada, these handbooks will be made available to policing and justice officials across the region. These handbooks will continue to be a valuable resource for police agencies.
Acknowledgment
The Prairie regional committee wishes to acknowledge the work of Don Hamilton who was one of the founding members of the Westman Justice Committee (NJC Brandon/ Dauphin). Don is set to retire this coming December 2007. He helped start what was then the CACP committee in 1974 and he has been an active and supporting member of this committee for over 33 years. Don was recognized for his efforts at the Westman workshop at the Elk Horn Resort in June 2007. The committee wishes him good luck in his retirement.
Pacific region
Chair: Doug LePard
Activities
The year has been another busy and fruitful one for the Pacific regional committee. Highlights of our activities and accomplishments for fiscal 06/07 include the following:
- Update of the Pacific region manual (hard copy and disk) entitled "An Inter-Agency Manual on the Policing, Prosecution and Correctional Management of Dangerous and Long Term Offenders". This manual, which was given to all registrants at the "What Works" Conference in Ottawa, has been revised to take into account significant cases up to and including the Supreme Court of Canada's decision in R. v. Shoker.
- The Pacific regional committee, in collaboration with Public Safety Canada, assumed a leading role in the design and delivery of the "What Works" Conference in Ottawa entitled, "What Works in the Community Reintegration of High-Risk Offenders". Seven members of the Pacific committee presented at the conference, including a panel highlighting the role of NJC in facilitating partnered solutions to the post-sentence management of high-risk offenders.
- The preparation and printing of promotional brochures highlighting the mandate of NJC and the activities of the Pacific region.
- The design and printing of NJC folders that were handed out at the "What Works" conference and at NJC events held in the Pacific region.
- A Police/Parole/Crown Counsel event held in Vancouver attended by 175 people wherein the work of Dr. Robert Hare in the area of psychopathy was highlighted and his contribution to the administration of criminal justice gratefully acknowledged. Speaking at this reception to honour Dr. Hare were Chief Cst. Jamie Graham of the Vancouver Police Department, Don Demers, Pacific region Director (CSC), Dr. Matt Logan (RCMP) and Greg Fitch (NJC Chair, Pacific regional committee).
- Two regional meetings have been held. The most recent regional meeting was held in Cowichan Bay on Vancouver Island in October, 2006. Assistant Commissioner Gary Bass of the RCMP addressed the group on the RCMP's Crime Reduction Initiative along with presenters from the criminology departments of Simon Fraser University and the University College of the Fraser Valley who are working with the RCMP on this initiative.
- Police/Parole/Crown Counsel workshops were held in only two zones. Topics highlighted include systemic responses to organized crime, child exploitation and the intimidation of justice personnel. Planned workshops in the other three zones were cancelled due to budget uncertainties following the What Works conference.
- The Pacific regional committee was nominated for a federal public service award in the innovation category.
Priorities for 2007-08
In 2007/2008, the Pacific regional committee will continue its collaborative efforts to improve public safety. Planned projects include the creation of a marketing-style video highlighting the work of the NJC. This is a joint effort of the NJC and the Vancouver Police Department's "Odd Squad" (who produced the high-risk offender video shown at the "What works" conference in Ottawa). The NJC will also be partnering with the RCMP E-Division and the Odd Squad to produce a video for frontline police officers on the topic of how to handle field stops of offenders under CSC supervision.
In addition, there will be zone and executive meetings, including a joint meeting to be held in May in Vancouver with attendees from several zones in the Pacific region. The theme of the meeting will be child exploitation, and will include presentations from Deputy Minister Alison MacPhail and the lead investigators from a Vancouver Police Department investigation into "sex tourism".
As the Pacific regional committee continues to be very active, it is expected that the entire budget for 2007/2008 will be utilized.
Membership
The Pacific regional committee's executive has representation from municipal police and RCMP, the National Parole Board, Crown, Provincial Corrections and the Correctional Service of Canada. There are five zones in B.C. and the Yukon. They are the Lower Mainland, Vancouver Island, the Interior, Northern and Fraser Valley. These zone committees are all well represented by criminal justice personnel. In all, the Pacific regional committee membership is composed of representatives from the following organizations:
- B.C. Ministry of Attorney General
- Police Services (Vancouver, Abbotsford, Oak Bay, RCMP)
- Canadian Association of Chiefs of Police
- Community Corrections Division, Government of British Columbia
- National Parole Board
- Correctional Service of Canada
- International Centre for Criminal Law Reform and Criminal Justice Policy
Final note
Executive Membership has remained stable save for the fact that Dave Keating replaced Brian Lang as the CSC representative to the Pacific region's Executive Committee. The Pacific regional committee would like to thank Brian Lang for his contribution to the group and welcome Dave Keating to our Executive Committee. The committee would also like to thank Barb Tierney, Criminal Justice Branch, Ministry of Attorney General (BC), for providing administrative support to the activities of this region over the past two years.
The Pacific regional committee has decided to include all past Chairs of NJC as ex officio members of the Executive. This means that the work of the Executive will continue to be supported by Bob Brown, Fraser Simmons and Chief Jamie Graham of the Vancouver Police Department.
National Joint Committee business plan 2005-2008
Objective I
To maintain an efficient and effective mechanism of information sharing and communication among criminal justice partners.
Activities
- Identify and review emerging trends and issues of mutual concern to all sectors of the criminal justice system.
- Share information on best practices and innovative strategies in the criminal justice system including related crime prevention measures.
Outputs
- Two semi-annual national meetings
- Regional meetings in all five regions of the country (Atlantic, Quebec, Ontario, Prairie and Pacific)
- Local/zone workshops held across the country
- Developing a communications strategy for the Police Officers' Handbooks on Corrections and Conditional Release
- National members belonging to a regional committee for better flow of information
- A yearly self-evaluation of NJC activities to determine whether the committee is meeting identified objectives
- Develop a comprehensive work-plan
Objective II
To enhance consultations and the advisory role of the Committee within federal, provincial and territorial governments on issues pertaining to policing, prosecutions, corrections and parole.
Activities
- Work in partnership with all levels of government, agencies and services to provide advice on any matter referred.
Outputs
- Invite stakeholders to participate at meetings and to make presentations on their issues and initiatives as they relate to criminal justice
- Share minutes, reports and other related documentation
- Develop a strategy to feed into the policy development process
Objective III
To enhance relationships among member organizations and the criminal justice community to establish clear links for coordination and consultation.
Activities
- Develop communication initiatives to facilitate cooperation among the components of the criminal justice system.
Outputs
- Wide distribution of annual report
- Distribute annual report to senior federal and provincial government officials
- Launch an NJC internet site
- Improve relationship between regional and national committees – better flow of information and improved participation
- Improve method used to bring emerging issues to the attention of key players in the criminal justice system
- Better forecasting of workshop activity
- Develop a communication strategy
National Joint Committee membership
Chair
Pierre Sangollo
National Project Manager – Public Safety
A/Director General Security
Correctional Service of Canada |
PS
Mary Campbell
Director General
Corrections and Criminal Justice Directorate |
Vice-chair
- Simonne Ferguson
Regional Director
National Parole Board
Ontario Region
|
National Parole Board
- Simonne Ferguson
Regional Director
National Parole Board
Ontario Region
|
National coordinator – NJC
- Dariusz Galczynski
National Coordinator
Corrections Research
Public Safety Canada
|
Royal Canadian Mounted Police
- Darrell J. LaFosse
Assistant Commissioner
Community, Contract and
Aboriginal Policing Services
|
Canadian Association of Chiefs of Police
- Chief Constable Ian Mackenzie
Abbotsford Police Department for the Pacific Region
- Vacancy
Ottawa Police Department for the Ontario Region
- Chief Edward N. Huzulak for the Maritime Region Bathurst City Police
- Mario Gisondi
Deputy Director
Montreal Police Services for the Quebec Region
- Hal Zorn
Regina Police Service for the Prairie Region
|
Correctional Service of Canada
- Michel Laprade
Legal Services Unit
- Pierre Sangollo
National Project Manager – Public Safety
A/Director General, Intelligence
- Denis Méthé
Deputy Commissioner
- Vacancy
|
Canadian Association of Crown Counsel
- Claude Girard
President
Canadian Association of Crown Counsel
- Eric Woodburn
Public Prosecution Service
- Steve Fudge
Crown Counsel
|
Department of Justice
- Catherine Kane
Senior Counsel/Director
Policy Centre for Victim Issues
- Nancy Irving
Senior Counsel
Strategic Operation Section
Justice Canada
|
First Nations Chief of Police
- J. Brian Rupert
Chief of Police
Treaty Three Police Service
|
Canadian Centre for Justice Statistics
- John Turner
Chief
Policing Services
Canadian Centre for Justice Statistics
|
Regional chairs
- Pacific
Deputy Chief LePard
Vancouver Police Department
- Atlantic
Pierre Castonguay
Public Prosecutions
|
Regional chairs
- Ontario
Supt. Mike Federico
Toronto Police Service
- Quebec
Mario Gisondi
Deputy Director
Montreal Police Services
- Prairies
Wayne Michaluk
Area Director – CSC Regina Parole
|