COVID IN PRISON

PUBLIC SAFETY
Employees at Sask. Pen. told to self-isolate through Christmas, as COVID cases climb


(File photo/paNOW Staff)
By Nigel Maxwell
Dec 21, 2020 4:13 PM

Employees at the Saskatchewan Penitentiary have received a huge lump of coal for Christmas in the form of news they will have to self-isolate away from families, including the people they live with until Dec. 27.

A letter dated Dec. 20, from the Saskatchewan Health Authority, explained all employees have been identified as having had a higher risk of exposure.

“Please note that isolation end dates can be fluid and may extend past this projected end date. All individuals under mandatory isolation orders will be instructed as to when that isolation can be ceased,” the letter from the health authority stated.

This comes as positive cases at the prison climbs to 64 inmates and five staff members.

James Bloomfield, president of the Prairies region for the Union of Canadian Correctional Officers told paNOW stress is already really high among staff who are dealing with testing and strict containment procedures minimizing movement.

“The stress is through the roof and it’s really starting to wear on everybody. The only relief you’ve got is your family when you go home and they get told they can’t even do that,” Bloomfield said.

As per the Correctional Service of Canada (CSC) protocols, self isolation at home can mean anything from staying in a garage or sleeping in a downstairs bedroom and having food left outside the door, just so long as there is no contact between family members.

Bloomfield explained the spike in cases from 24 to 64 in less than a week can be attributed to all the testing being done, following the first case at the prison on Dec. 12.

“We find everything at once and then we’ll do a second round of asymptomatic testing to make sure we didn’t miss an infection,” Bloomfield said.

Letter from an inmate

Stress continues to rise too within the inmate population at Sask. Pen and a letter written by an inmate from Southern Saskatchewan has been shared recently on Facebook. Bronson Gordon described the prison as a ‘complete disaster’. paNOW obtained a copy of the letter.

“We have a guy on the unit who is positive for COVID but they do not move him into quarantine like they report to the media they do, rather they just tape off his cell,” he stated.

“CSC is supposed to be watching over these guys”– Sherri Maier, Beyond Prison Walls Canada

Gordon claims inmates have asked for cleaning supplies to disinfect their cells, but are told “they don’t need it.”

“I’ve seen a guy with bad anxiety have an anxiety attack and pass out. We banged to get guard’s attention but no one came,” he said.

Adding to the stress around the transmission of COVID, Gordon explained many inmates have had difficulty contacting family. Requests to purchase more minutes on their phone accounts have not been processed, he claimed, meaning many family members of inmates have been unable to communicate.

Reaction from the advocate

Sherri Maier is an advocate for the inmates through the organization Beyond Prison Walls Canada and told paNOW inmates in the medium security unit have described to her a situation that is a “living hell.”

“One guy told me it reminded him of them being caged up like animals, like at the pound,” she said.

Maier said what is happening to the inmates is inhumane, explaining they are only allowed out for 30 minutes every other day

“Thirty minutes to call family and have a shower, that’s pretty bad. Most guys are not even taking a shower because they want to try and call home,” she said.

Maier said the CSC needs to come up with a better plan and added if the CSC was so well prepared, then there should noy be any cases at the penitentiary.

“CSC is supposed to be watching over these guys and I don’t care what they did to get them to jail, they still shouldnt have to go through this kind of crap,” she said.

Maier said she has heard that as many 50 inmates in the medium security unit have been on a hunger strike for three days.

Over the weekend Maier sent a letter to the Office of the Correctional Investigator. She told paNOW she is also aware of at least two First Nation’s chiefs from Southern Saskatchewan who plan to contact the Correctional Service of Canada.

Response from CSC

According to a statement Monday night by the CSC, all “reasonable efforts” are being done to provide the inmates with opportunities to be out of their cell for daily activities such as showering, yard time, access to telephone calls, and said inmates are able to request telephone visits with Elders and Chaplains.

“Meals and medications are also delivered to inmates. CSC provides its own health care to inmates and has dedicated health care professionals in its institutions, including nurses and doctors, who would closely monitor anyone in medical isolation,” the statement said.

With respect to the hunger strike, the CSC confirmed it was aware that some inmates advised Saskatchewan Penitentiary staff on December 21 that they were beginning a hunger strike.

“Following a meeting with institutional managers to discuss their concerns, several of the inmates ate lunch. We are working in close collaboration with these offenders to resolve their concerns,” the CSC said.

The CSC also acknowledged in its statement the pandemic has been difficult for the inmate population and explained they continue to provide them with updates as the situation evolves, including weekly updates directly from the Commissioner.

“These are also posted on our website for their families to see. The ongoing cooperation of inmates in keeping up with our infection prevention and control measures has been key in helping us reduce the spread of the virus. We will continue to monitor this evolving situation closely and work with our partners, staff and inmates to enhance and adapt our approach, as needed.”

Editor’s note: this story was amended Monday evening to include comment from CSC.

nigel.maxwell@jpbg.ca