the inquiry into the death of Ashley Smith in a Federal Penitentiary five years ago has been shining a much needed light on policy and procedure at Correctional Services Canada, and on the behaviour and attitudes of some of the people it employs.

recently some people on my unit were discussing a newspaper article about the inquiry. this led to a conversation about the lack of proper care for people with physical and mental health needs here at Vanier, and the ways in which they're often neglected and mistreated. i asked if anyone would like to write their stories down for the blog and i got four back, to which i've added two of my own.

classification, discrimination and human rights

here's a Media Release and some important Statements of Support

today i'm filing a Human Rights application against the Ministry of Community Safety and Correctional Services and Vanier Centre for Women. i hope to initiate some changes in their security classification system, which is opaque and discriminatory and contains no fair grievance process.

october 2, 2012

today i started training as a laundry worker.  how did this happen?  and am i going to regret it?

about a week ago one of the two laundry workers, who is being sentenced to pen time soon, told me that she'd overheard guards saying i might be a good person to take her place.  strange that for seven and a half months i was considered too much of a security risk to even let off of maximum, and suddenly i'm considered a good candidate for a jail job.  but there it is: Vanier logic.

so. . .would i be interested?

i told her i'd think about it.  i weighed the pros and cons.

cons