Assures Full Oversight Throughout Entire Search Procedure: Lionel Carmant
Revised Article:
Quebec's Social Services Minister, Lionel Carmant, has announced plans to standardize full search procedures in youth centers by the end of the parliamentary session. The decision follows recommendations from the Commission des droits de la personne et de la jeunesse (CDPDJ).
During a budgetary credits study at the National Assembly, Carmant confirmed the intention to send directives through the health and social services network.
Guillaume Cliche-Rivard, Solidair̩e deputy, advocates for a national framework to govern adolescent searches. He shared harrowing experiences of young people traumatized by strip searches in youth centers. He described the current process, where adolescents are asked to undress, put on a robe, and squat or jump, as "absolutely appalling."
Cliche-Rivard criticized the absence of clear guidelines to regulate the process across the province. Reports have revealed widespread disparities between regions in search volume and methods. In 2023, the CDPDJ urged the government to review and standardize criteria.
The lack of uniform guidelines has raised concerns about privacy and the potential for physical and psychological harm. Standardization could help ensure a more consistent and dignified approach while maintaining safety.
While federal resources don't detail specific search protocols for Quebec, youth center operations typically fall under provincial youth protection laws and correctional services regulations. The Canadian government's focus on accessibility and public safety could indirectly influence procedural standards through human rights compliance.
Ongoing attention to youth transitions, accessibility standards, and safety initiatives, as highlighted in recent developments, could provide avenues for future policy reform. For instance, the SURF project underscores the importance of tailored support for vulnerable youth, which could inform strategies to balance safety with dignity in search procedures.
- Minister Lionel Carmant, of Quebec's Social Services, intends to send directives to standardize search procedures in youth centers, a decision influenced by the recommendations of the Commission des droits de la personne et de la jeunesse (CDPDJ).
- Guillaume Cliche-Rivard, a Solidaire deputy, champions a national framework to regulate adolescent searches, advocating for clear guidelines to address disparities across regions.
- Cliche-Rivard critique the absence of uniform guidelines, expressing concern about their impact on privacy and potential for causing physical and psychological harm.
- Standardization of search procedures could ensure a more consistent and dignified approach, while maintaining safety, as per the suggestions of Cliche-Rivard.
- Provincial youth protection laws and correctional services regulations, along with federal focus on accessibility and public safety, could indirectly influence search protocols through human rights compliance.
- Ongoing policy developments, such as the SURF project, emphasizing tailored support for vulnerable youth, could provide insights for crafting strategies that balance safety with dignity in search procedures.
