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Holy crap. The government-appointed panel tasked with overseeing Ottawa's supposed phasing-out of solitary confinement in prisons has been disbanded.
I haven't seen the report mentioned. Will try and get a copy.
And I've got a copy.
I'll write something on this soon, but let me just explain quickly how much of a scandal this is.
Let's start here: Solitary confinement is torture. Canada is signatory to an international convention that says as much.
I'll write something on this soon, but let me just explain quickly how much of a scandal this is.
Let's start here: Solitary confinement is torture. Canada is signatory to an international convention that says as much.
Canada long called the practise of locking inmates into tiny cells for 22 hours a day "administrative segregation." Courts in B.C and Ontario found that to be a distinction without a difference. https://www.nationalmagazine.ca/en-ca/articles/law/in-depth/2019/the-long-slog-to-fix-solitary-confinement-in-canad
After its laws and policies were slammed as unconstitutional by the courts, the Trudeau government drew up a new name: structured intervention units. Only 20 hours a day, instead of 22. Still clearly insufficient oversight. But a slight improvement. https://www.nationalmagazine.ca/en-ca/articles/law/in-depth/2019/canada-s-prisons-are-failing
This committee was struck to oversee the implementation of these new units last year. They requested data from Correctional Services Canada on these units in November. By February, CSC "had not decided whether they would allow us the systematic information we had requested."
By May, CSC sends data "that was inadequate (incomplete, unspecified, and nearly impossible to use) in many ways."
Then, earlier this month, "we were told... that the data we requested could not be delivered until, perhaps, later this year."
Then, earlier this month, "we were told... that the data we requested could not be delivered until, perhaps, later this year."
This is, to be clear, integral information that explains how these units work. The panel wanted indicators on who was put in these units. "We have essentially not been able to examine any aspect of the SIUs during their first 7-8 months of operation."
"The data we have requested are exactly the kind of data that CSC should want to have to understand, and properly evaluate, the operation of the SIUs."
A year on, there's nothing to show for this. "The SIU-[Implementation Advisory Panel] no longer exists. Members were appointed for terms of one year. Some of these terms have expired. All will expire within a few weeks."
The courts told Ottawa its solitary confinement program was unconstitutional. They drew up a bill (Which critics said was insufficient.) They implemented it anyway, appointed a panel to oversee it. It turns out they weren't even collecting data to assess the implementation.
This is horrible.
Oh, and worth mentioning: Since the COVID-19 outbreak, plenty of prisons have done away with the pretext of these structured intervention units, and have just locked sick inmates up for 23.5 hours a day.
I asked @BillBlair about that in June. Here's what he said:
“The measures that were put in place were not intended in any way to violate anybody’s rights..."And frankly, I would point out, it’s been effective." https://nationalpost.com/news/reforms-to-rcmp-canadian-justice-system-coming-as-protests-sweep-world-public-safety-minister-says
“The measures that were put in place were not intended in any way to violate anybody’s rights..."And frankly, I would point out, it’s been effective." https://nationalpost.com/news/reforms-to-rcmp-canadian-justice-system-coming-as-protests-sweep-world-public-safety-minister-says
You can read the full report here. Perhaps the most damning line comes in the addendum:
"In line with our agreement on the releasing of all our reports, CSC had 3 weeks to provide the panel with comments on it. We received no reply to the draft report." https://drive.google.com/file/d/1WKQ7bBq2euuTbxg-iQrEBViNYTD94Edn/view?usp=sharing
"In line with our agreement on the releasing of all our reports, CSC had 3 weeks to provide the panel with comments on it. We received no reply to the draft report." https://drive.google.com/file/d/1WKQ7bBq2euuTbxg-iQrEBViNYTD94Edn/view?usp=sharing
