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2014-05-28 01:29:54 UTC
So much for their 'tough on crime' agenda . . . Judges are against it,
the supreme court is against it, and now the prison guards themselves
are against it.
Nice job, Harper. You couldn't learn from the American experience,
could you?
_____________________________________________
Global News - May 26, 2014
‘These guys have to get out’: Prison guards union to campaign against
Conservatives
OTTAWA – The union representing Canada’s prison guards is gearing up to
campaign against the law-and-order Harper government in the next election.
For the first time in 15 years, the union will urge its 7,500 members to
vote ABC – Anything but Conservative.
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
“These guys have to get out,” said Jason Godin, national vice-president
at the Union of Canadian Correctional Officers.
“They’ve done more damage in three years than any government has done in
our entire history.”
Although the union’s constitution forbids the guards from endorsing
political parties, Godin said he will be encouraging his members to vote
against Prime Minister Stephen Harper’s Conservatives in 2015.
“We will be actively gearing up to campaign against the Harper
government,” he said.
“We’re going to be going right into their ridings. We’ll be very
visible, we’ll be challenging them up front.”
Related Stories
Prison guards rally against crime agenda at prime minister’s
constituency office
Federal cuts threaten public safety, warn unions for prison, border
guards
Prison guards protest prison funding announcement
The union’s complaints stem from what it claims are increasingly
dangerous working conditions such as overcrowding and double-bunking.
Earlier this month, Auditor General Michael Ferguson reported that some
of Canada’s prisons are already operating over-capacity, and a planned
expansion will leave them overcrowded again in a few years.
“We’re reaching crisis proportions in terms of double-bunking, and [the
government] just completely ignores all the research,” said Godin.
The government begs to differ.
A spokesman for Public Safety Minister Steven Blaney cites statements
from CSC Commissioner Don Head saying there is no link between violence
and double bunking.
“Studies show that double-bunking does not have any link to violence. It
doesn’t take a social scientist to see that those behind bars for
violent crimes may behave violently,” Jean-Christophe de La Rue wrote in
an email.
But the study also found that while double-bunking in the Prairie region
more than doubled to 27 per cent in July 2012 from 12 per cent in 2009;
incident rates increased by 70 per cent during the same period. It also
says that “crowding affects the level of stress experienced by the
offender and reduces the availability of programming.”
The union also takes issue with changes to the Canada Labour Code
introduced in last year’s omnibus budget bill.
The changes shrink the definition of danger to exclude potential hazards
and “future activity” and gives more discretion over health and safety
to the minister.
Godin said the government has yet to consult with the union on major
changes since becoming a majority in 2011.
“When they get tough on crime, they get tough on correctional officers,”
said Godin.
“At the same time they’re making our working conditions get more
dangerous, they’re gutting the Canada Labour Code, which is the most
important piece of protection that we have.”
Godin said in the long run, it is Canadians who will suffer.
“In ten years time, Canadians are gonna go, ‘Oh my God what just
happened?’ Because all of those people they’re putting in jail, guess
what? 80 per cent of them are going to get out.”
the supreme court is against it, and now the prison guards themselves
are against it.
Nice job, Harper. You couldn't learn from the American experience,
could you?
_____________________________________________
Global News - May 26, 2014
‘These guys have to get out’: Prison guards union to campaign against
Conservatives
OTTAWA – The union representing Canada’s prison guards is gearing up to
campaign against the law-and-order Harper government in the next election.
For the first time in 15 years, the union will urge its 7,500 members to
vote ABC – Anything but Conservative.
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
“These guys have to get out,” said Jason Godin, national vice-president
at the Union of Canadian Correctional Officers.
“They’ve done more damage in three years than any government has done in
our entire history.”
Although the union’s constitution forbids the guards from endorsing
political parties, Godin said he will be encouraging his members to vote
against Prime Minister Stephen Harper’s Conservatives in 2015.
“We will be actively gearing up to campaign against the Harper
government,” he said.
“We’re going to be going right into their ridings. We’ll be very
visible, we’ll be challenging them up front.”
Related Stories
Prison guards rally against crime agenda at prime minister’s
constituency office
Federal cuts threaten public safety, warn unions for prison, border
guards
Prison guards protest prison funding announcement
The union’s complaints stem from what it claims are increasingly
dangerous working conditions such as overcrowding and double-bunking.
Earlier this month, Auditor General Michael Ferguson reported that some
of Canada’s prisons are already operating over-capacity, and a planned
expansion will leave them overcrowded again in a few years.
“We’re reaching crisis proportions in terms of double-bunking, and [the
government] just completely ignores all the research,” said Godin.
The government begs to differ.
A spokesman for Public Safety Minister Steven Blaney cites statements
from CSC Commissioner Don Head saying there is no link between violence
and double bunking.
“Studies show that double-bunking does not have any link to violence. It
doesn’t take a social scientist to see that those behind bars for
violent crimes may behave violently,” Jean-Christophe de La Rue wrote in
an email.
But the study also found that while double-bunking in the Prairie region
more than doubled to 27 per cent in July 2012 from 12 per cent in 2009;
incident rates increased by 70 per cent during the same period. It also
says that “crowding affects the level of stress experienced by the
offender and reduces the availability of programming.”
The union also takes issue with changes to the Canada Labour Code
introduced in last year’s omnibus budget bill.
The changes shrink the definition of danger to exclude potential hazards
and “future activity” and gives more discretion over health and safety
to the minister.
Godin said the government has yet to consult with the union on major
changes since becoming a majority in 2011.
“When they get tough on crime, they get tough on correctional officers,”
said Godin.
“At the same time they’re making our working conditions get more
dangerous, they’re gutting the Canada Labour Code, which is the most
important piece of protection that we have.”
Godin said in the long run, it is Canadians who will suffer.
“In ten years time, Canadians are gonna go, ‘Oh my God what just
happened?’ Because all of those people they’re putting in jail, guess
what? 80 per cent of them are going to get out.”