Section 23: Core responsibility descriptions

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Internal Services

Internal Services are those groups of related activities and resources that the Federal Government considers to be services in support of programs and/or required to meet corporate obligations of an organization. Internal Services refer to the activities and resources of ten distinct services that support program delivery in the organization, regardless of the Internal Services delivery model in a department. These services are: Acquisition Management Services, Communications Services, Financial Management Services, Human Resources Management Services, Information Management Services, Information Technology Services, Legal Services, Materiel Management Services, Management and Oversight Services, Real Property Management Services.

Department of Public Safety and Emergency Preparedness

Community Safety

Public Safety provides national coordination to help Canadian communities and stakeholders respond to crime and build community resilience, promote the safety and security of Canadian communities and institutions, enhance the integrity of Canada's borders, and support the provision of policing services to Indigenous communities.

Emergency Management

Public Safety works to strengthen national emergency management to help prevent, mitigate, prepare for, respond to and recover from all-hazards events. Public Safety provides resources and expertise to Canadian communities in support of emergency preparedness, disaster mitigation and recovery.

National Security

Public Safety develops policy, legislation and programs to support Canada's capacity to respond to a range of national security threats directed against Canadians, our critical infrastructure and our cyber systems while advancing national counter terrorism efforts.

Internal Services

See introductory text.

Canada Border Services Agency

Border Management

The Canada Border Services Agency assesses risk to identify threats, manages the free flow of admissible travellers and commercial goods into, through and out of Canada, and manages non-compliance.

Border Enforcement

The Canada Border Services Agency contributes to Canada's security by supporting the immigration and refugee system when determining a person's admissibility to Canada, taking the appropriate immigration enforcement actions when necessary, and supporting the prosecution of persons who violate our laws.

Internal Services

See introductory text.

Canadian Security Intelligence Service

Security and Intelligence

The Canadian Security Intelligence Service protects Canada's national and international security and prosperity interests and the safety of Canadians through intelligence. Canadian Security Intelligence Service achieves this by collecting, analyzing and reporting threat-related information, in accordance with legislation and ministerial direction. Canadian Security Intelligence Service intelligence and advice provided to the Government of Canada and its partners informs decisions regarding policies and programs, national security-related investigations, government and immigration security screening activities, and the defence of Canada. In instances where Canadian Security Intelligence Service has reasonable grounds to believe there is a threat to the security of Canada, Canadian Security Intelligence Service may also take measures to reduce the threat.

Civilian Review and Complaints Commission for the Royal Canadian Mounted Police

Independent review of the Royal Canadian Mounted Police

The Civilian Review and Complaints Commission's fundamental role is to provide civilian review of the conduct of the Royal Canadian Mounted Police members in carrying out their policing duties, thereby holding the Royal Canadian Mounted Police accountable to the public. The Civilian Review and Complaints Commission ensures that complaints about the conduct of Royal Canadian Mounted Police members are examined fairly and impartially. Its findings and recommendations help identify and remedy policing problems which stem from the conduct of individual Royal Canadian Mounted Police members or from deficiencies in Royal Canadian Mounted Police policies or practices. The Civilian Review and Complaints Commission also conducts reviews of specified Royal Canadian Mounted Police activities, reports to provinces which contract Royal Canadian Mounted Police services, conducts research, program outreach and public education, and provides independent observers to investigations of serious incidents involving Royal Canadian Mounted Police members.

Internal Services

See introductory text.

Correctional Service of Canada

Care and Custody

Correctional Service of Canada provides for the safety, security and humane care of inmates, including day-to-day needs of inmates such as food, clothing, accommodation, mental health services, and physical health care. It also includes security measures within institutions such as drug interdiction, and appropriate control practices to prevent incidents.

Correctional Interventions

Correctional Service of Canada conducts assessment activities and program interventions to support federal offenders' rehabilitation and facilitate their reintegration into the community as law-abiding citizens. Correctional Service of Canada also engages Canadian citizens as partners in its correctional mandate, and provides services to victims of crime.

Community Supervision

Correctional Service of Canada supervises offenders in the community and provides structure and services to support their safe and successful reintegration into the community. Services include accommodation options, community health services, and the establishment of community partnerships. Correctional Service of Canada manages offenders on parole, statutory release, and long-term supervision orders.

Internal Services

See introductory text.

Office of the Correctional Investigator of Canada

Independent Oversight of Federal Corrections

The Office of the Correctional Investigator conducts investigations of complaints directed to the Correctional Service of Canada by individual federal incarcerated or supervised offenders, and carries out systemic investigations of issues that affect large numbers of federal offenders. The Office of the Correctional Investigator reviews all Correctional Service of Canada investigations of deaths in custody and serious bodily injury cases to ensure Correctional Service of Canada compliance with law and policy and conducts reviews of all use of force incidents. The Office of the Correctional Investigator's investigative activities support a safe, lawful and humane federal correctional practice to ensure that federal correctional decisions and practices are in compliance with human rights, law, policy, and are fair.

Internal Services

See introductory text.

Parole Board of Canada

Conditional Release Decisions

Conditional release is based on the principle and supported by research that community safety is enhanced by the timely and gradual release of offenders to the community under supervision. Quality conditional release decisions, based on the risk of re-offending in conjunction with effective programs and treatment, and effective community supervision all contribute to the release process. Through this core responsibility, the Parole Board of Canada provides timely, accurate information for Board member decision-making, and develops training and policies that are essential tools for risk assessment and decision-making that are in accordance with the law.

Record Suspension/Pardon and Expungement Decisions/Clemency Recommendations

A record suspension/pardon is designed to support the sustained reintegration of an individual into society. It is an administrative act to remove the stigma of a criminal record for persons convicted of an offence under an Act of Parliament, who have completed their sentence, having met the criteria in the Criminal Records Act and demonstrated law-abiding behaviour for a prescribed number of years. Record suspensions/pardons can be revoked or cease to have effect if a new offence is committed or a person is no longer found to be of good conduct. In meeting this core responsibility, the Parole Board of Canada screens applications for completeness and eligibility, collects information for Board member decision-making and develops policy to guide decision making processes.

In addition, under the Expungement Act, the Parole Board of Canada will order the expungement of records of convictions for eligible offences that would be lawful today. Persons convicted of an offence listed in the schedule to the Expungement Act may apply, as well as authorized representatives in cases where the person is deceased. The difference between a record suspension/pardon and an expungement is that with a record suspension/pardon, the criminal record is held ''separate and apart'' from other criminal records, while an expungement will completely destroy the record. The Parole Board of Canada is also accountable for assessing requests and providing recommendations under the Royal Prerogative of Mercy (i.e., clemency) and providing advice to the Minister of Public Safety and Emergency Preparedness on the merits of each case.

Conditional Release Openness and Accountability

This core responsibility ensures that the Parole Board of Canada operates in an open and accountable manner, consistent with the provisions of the Corrections and Conditional Release Act. It includes working with victims of crime, offenders, and the public by providing information about our policies and programs, including access to the Parole Board of Canada's registry of decisions, as well as providing assistance for observers at hearings. The core responsibility also includes working to encourage citizen engagement, enhancing public education and awareness, investigating incidents in the community, (i.e., when a new offence occurs) monitoring the Parole Board of Canada's performance and reporting on conditional release results.

Internal Services

See introductory text.

Royal Canadian Mounted Police

Contract and Indigenous Policing

Under the Police Service Agreements, the Royal Canadian Mounted Police provides policing services to the provinces (except Ontario and Quebec) and territories, as well as municipalities and Indigenous communities including through the First Nations Policing Program. These services include the general administration of justice, consisting of the preservation of the peace, prevention of crime, and fulfilment of all duties as outlined under the laws of Canada or the laws of respective provinces and territories.

Federal Policing

Federal Policing addresses the most serious and complex criminal threats to the safety and security of Canadians and Canadian interests, including democratic institutions, economic integrity, and physical and cyber infrastructure. Through Federal Policing, the Royal Canadian Mounted Police prevents, detects, and investigates national security, cyber-crime, and transnational and serious organized crime, including financial crime. In addition, it enforces federal statutes, conducts international policing activities, and upholds Canada's border integrity and the security of significant government-led events, designated officials and dignitaries.

National Police Services

Externally, the Royal Canadian Mounted Police provides specialized and technical services to all Canadian law enforcement agencies, which include advanced training for law enforcement; national criminal data repositories; firearms regulation and licensing; and investigative tools and services, including forensics, identification, firearms and child exploitation. Internally, a diverse range of technical services are also provided to advance Royal Canadian Mounted Police operations and investigations, such as the collection of digital evidence and cybercrime intelligence, the delivery of policing information technology tools, and the implementation of departmental and personnel security standards.

Internal Services

See introductory text.

Royal Canadian Mounted Police External Review Committee

Independent review of Royal Canadian Mounted Police employment matters

Independent and impartial case reviews, findings and recommendations for final decisions in appeals of internal Royal Canadian Mounted Police decisions in harassment complaints, conduct cases, discharges or demotions, and stoppages of pay and allowances.

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