CAT/C/CAN/CO/7 United Nations Convention against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment Distr.: General 21 December 2018 Original: English Committee against Torture Concluding observations on the seventh periodic report of Canada* 1. The Committee against Torture considered the seventh periodic report of Canada (CAT/C/CAN/7) at its 1695th and 1698th meetings, held on 21 and 22 November 2018 (see CAT/C/SR.1695 and 1698), and adopted the present concluding observations at its 1715th and 1716th meetings, held on 5 December 2018. A. Introduction 2. The Committee expresses its appreciation to the State party for accepting the simplified reporting procedure, which allows for a more focused dialogue between the State party and the Committee. 3. The Committee appreciates having had the opportunity to engage in a constructive dialogue with the State party’s delegation, and the responses provided to the questions and concerns raised during the consideration of the report. B. Positive aspects 4. The Committee welcomes the State party’s accession to the Optional Protocol to the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, on 3 December 2018. 5. The Committee commends the State party’s initiatives to amend its policies and procedures in order to afford greater protection of human rights and to apply the Convention, in particular the following: (a) The launch of the Civilian Review and Complaints Commission for the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (as a successor to the Public Complaints Commission) and the establishment of the Nova Scotia Serious Incident Response Team in 2015 and 2012 respectively, as well as the start of operations of the Independent Investigations Office in British Columbia and the Bureau des enquêtes indépendantes (the independent investigations bureau in Quebec) in 2012 and 2016 respectively; (b) The launch, on December 2012, of the Refugee Appeal Division, which considers appeals against decisions of the Refugee Protection Division to allow or reject claims for refugee protection; (c) The adoption of the Mental Health Action Plan for Federal Offenders, in May 2014; * Adopted by the Committee at its sixty-fifth session (12 November–7 December 2018). GE.18-22488(E) 

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