Media Room

News Release

Communiqué

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

OTTAWA , October 29, 2004 - The International Transfer of Offenders Act, which received Royal Assent on May 14, 2004, came into force today. The Act replaces the Transfer of Offenders Act and provides for the implementation of treaties with other countries for the international transfer of Canadian citizens convicted and detained abroad to serve the remainder of their sentences in Canada.

The new Act will allow Canada to negotiate transfer agreements with jurisdictions where a treaty does not currently exist. It will also expand eligibility for transfers to include persons found unfit to stand trial and persons who where found not criminally responsible on account of mental disorders. Canada has already concluded 13 bilateral treaties and currently abides by three multilateral conventions for the international transfer of offenders, covering more than sixty-five sovereign entities. The purpose of the Act and the treaties signed between Canada and foreign states is essentially humanitarian. They enable Canadian offenders convicted abroad or foreigners convicted in Canada to serve their sentence in their country of citizenship, where the country or the jurisdiction has a signed and ratified treaty. The intent is to alleviate hardships associated with serving sentences in a foreign country, and facilitate eventual reintegration into the community.

To view the on-line version of the new act, visit the Justice Canada Web site, at http://canada.justice.gc.ca.

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FOR INFORMATION:

Alex Swann
Office of the Deputy Prime Minister
and Minister of Public Safety and Emergency Preparedness
(613) 991-2863

Michèle Pilon-Santilli
Correctional Service of Canada
(613) 943-2573