International Transfers Programs are administered by CSC's International
Transfers Division at NHQ with the assistance of the Department of Foreign
Affairs and International Trade and its missions abroad.
There are currently more than 3,000 Canadians imprisoned abroad and some 1,100 foreign offenders serving sentences in Canada. In the early 1970s, Canada and the United States signed a treaty which allowed Canadian and American offenders in either country to serve their sentence in their country of citizenship. Canada has since entered into transfer agreements with 119 sovereign jurisdictions.
Under these agreements, since 1978, Canada has repatriated 967 of its citizens while 116 foreign nationals sentenced in Canada have been returned to their home countries.
Serge Boudreau, Manager, International Transfers says it is “foremost a humanitarian program whose basis rests in CSC's Mission, to enable offenders to serve foreign imposed sentences in their country of citizenship.”
“It is an effort to alleviate undue hardships borne by offenders and their families, and to facilitate their eventual reintegration into society.”
Transfer decisions are discretionary. For a transfer to take place, the jurisdiction where the offender was sentenced, the country of citizenship to which he or she is being returned and the offender must all agree to it.
In Canada, all transfers must be approved by the Solicitor General of Canada.
Caption:
Serge Boudreau, Manager, International Transfer Division