prevent the special measures taken on behalf of Indians from being denounced Only women as discriminatory because they did not apply to all Canadians. sentenced to more than two years’ imprisonment were committed to a penitentiary; others were held in one of the many establishments administered by the provinces. It had been recently announced that the women’s federal prison was to be closed and that five regional establishments were to be constructed. 63. Referring to questions raised in connection with asylum seekers, the representative emphasised that the 1951 Convention relating to the Status of Refugees and the Covenant had to be considered jointly, since, although each of those instruments had its own special place, they complemented and reinforced each other. The Canadian Government’s position with regard to the backlog of cases was that the situation was complicated by the very large The Government was, number of people already in Canada and seeking to remain. and without discrimination the however, doing its utmost to process quickly cases of thousands of refugees. Each case was considered individually to determine whether the asylum seeker met the required conditions for obtaining the status applied for. Priority had been given to English-speaking immigrants, perhaps because it was easier and quicker to deal with applications when a decision could be taken without recourse to the services No discrimination was in fact involved since the of an interpreter. Government was attemptiny to deal as fast and as effectively as possible with the situation, and those concerned were meanwhile living, working and in some cases receiving social welfare benefits in Canada. Right to life 64. With regard to that issue , members of the Committee wished to know, in the light of the defeat in the House of Commonsof a motion to reinstate capital punishment, whether there were any prospects for the early ratification by Canada of the Second Optional Protocol to the Covenant, aiming at the abolition of the death penalty. 65. In his reply, the representative of the State party said that capital punishment had been abolished in Canada, except for certain offences which Although the competent authorities were came under the National Defence Act. currently giving careful consideration to the Second Optional Protocol in the light of the National Defence Act , with a view to possible accession, no decision had yet been taken. rtv and securitv of the W~UQU 6ti. With reference to that issue, inembers of the Committee asked what the grounds were for imposing an indeterminate sentence of detention: how the maximum length of such a sentence was related to the maximum fixed term established for a given offence under the Criminal Code: whether there were any maximum limits on the length of pre-trial detention: what was the average length of pre-trial detention: how much variation there was in this regard anong the various provinces: and what was the average duration of criminal proceedings. They also requested clarification of the reference to “specified restrictions” on the right of detainees to apply for a writ of meas corwu in section 700 of the Criminal Code and of the current practice of the Yukon government of incarcerating individuals who were unable to pay fines. They -16-