Bill C-53

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	2nd Session, 35th Parliament, 45-46 Elizabeth II, 1996-97
	The House of Commons of Canada
	BILL C-53
	An Act to amend the Prisons and Reformatories Act
R.S., c. P-20; R.S., c. 1 (1st Supp.), cc. 24, 35 (2nd Supp.); 1992, c. 20; 1995, c. 42	Her Majesty, by and with the advice and consent of the Senate and House of Commons of Canada, enacts as follows:
	*1. Subsection 2(1) of the Prisons and Reformatories Act* is amended by adding the following in alphabetical order:**
``designated authority'' « autorité compétente »	``designated authority'' means a person or or ganization designated under section 7.2.
1992, c. 20, s. 207; 1995, c. 42, par. 71(c)(F), 72(c)(F)	2. Section 7 of the Act is replaced by the following:
	Purpose and Principles
Purpose of temporary absence	7. The purpose of a temporary absence program is to contribute to the maintenance of a just, peaceful and safe society by facilitat ing, through decisions on the timing and conditions of absence, the rehabilitation of prisoners and their reintegration into the community as law-abiding citizens.
Principles	7.1 The principles that shall guide desig nated authorities in achieving the purpose of a temporary absence program are
	(a) that the least restrictive decision that is consistent with the protection of society and the prisoner's rehabilitation and reintegra tion into the community be made;
	(b) that all available information that is relevant to the case be taken into account;
	(c) that prisoners be provided with relevant information, reasons for decisions and ac cess to the review of decisions in order to ensure a fair and understandable temporary absence process; and
	(d) that the designated authority provide for the timely exchange of relevant informa tion with other participants in the criminal justice system and make information about temporary absence programs and policies available to prisoners, victims and the public.
	Designated Authority
Designation	7.2 (1) The lieutenant governor of a prov ince may designate any persons or organiza tions to be responsible for authorizing tempo rary absences under this Act for prisoners in that province.
Authoriza- tion of provincial parole board	(2) Where a provincial parole board has been established for a province, the lieutenant governor of the province may order that no absence of a prisoner without escort be authorized from a prison in the province except by the provincial parole board.
	Authorization of Absence
Authoriza- tion of temporary absence	7.3 (1) A designated authority may autho rize a prisoner to be absent from prison with or without escort, subject to any conditions that the authority considers appropriate, where it is necessary or desirable in the authority's opinion
	(a) for medical or humanitarian reasons;
	(b) in order to facilitate the prisoner's rehabilitation or reintegration into the com munity; or
	(c) for any other purpose, consistent with the purpose and principles set out in section 7 and 7.1, that may be established by the laws of the province respecting the authori zation of temporary absences of prisoners who have contravened provincial law.
Eligibility criteria	(2) In authorizing a temporary absence, the designated authority must apply the criteria, if any, established by the laws of the province respecting eligibility for temporary absence of prisoners who have contravened provincial law.
Duration of absence	7.4 (1) A temporary absence may be authorized for a maximum period of sixty days and may be renewed by the designated authority for one or more sixty-day periods on reassessment of the case.
Absence for medical reasons	(2) A temporary absence for medical rea sons may be authorized for an unlimited period.
	Suspension, Cancellation and Revocation
Grounds	7.5 A designated authority may suspend, cancel or revoke a temporary absence, before or after it begins, if
	(a) it is considered necessary and justified to prevent a breach of a condition of the absence or where a breach has occurred;
	(b) the grounds for authorizing the absence have changed or no longer exist; or
	(c) the case has been reassessed, based on information that could not reasonably have been provided when the absence was autho rized.
Apprehen- sion and recommittal	7.6 (1) A designated authority who sus pends, cancels or revokes a prisoner's tempo rary absence, or a person designated by that authority, may have a warrant or notice of suspension, cancellation or revocation issued for his or her apprehension and recommittal.
Execution of warrant	(2) A peace officer who is given a warrant or notice issued under this section, or an electronically transmitted copy of such a warrant or notice, must execute it in any place in Canada as though the warrant had been originally issued or subsequently endorsed by a justice or other lawful authority having jurisdiction in that place.
Arrest without warrant	(3) A peace officer may arrest a person without a warrant or notice and remand the person into custody if the peace officer believes on reasonable grounds that a warrant or notice has been issued in respect of that person under this section and is still in force.
Where arrest made	(4) Where a person has been arrested pursuant to subsection (3), the warrant or notice, or an electronically transmitted copy of the warrant or notice, must be executed within forty-eight hours after the arrest is made, failing which the person must be released.
	Effect on Release Date

Bill C-53

BILL C-53

Purpose and Principles

Designated Authority

Authorization of Absence

Suspension, Cancellation and Revocation

Effect on Release Date