The death last month of Kimberly Squirrel in a Saskatoon neighbourhood has left many unanswered questions. (File photo/paNOW Staff)

By Nigel Maxwell

Corrections

Ministry to review circumstances of young woman’s freezing death

Feb 22, 2021 | 12:00 PM

The Ministry in charge of Corrections and Policing is now officially confirming the death of a woman in Saskatoon last month, just days after her release from the Pine Grove Correctional, will be the subject of a formal review.

In addition, both the Saskatoon Police Service and the Coroner’s Service, will conduct their own independent investigations.

Kimberly Squirrel, 34, was found frozen to death on Jan. 23. paNOW attempted to contact the family for comment but were unsuccessful. They did however tell the CBC, Squirrel was not properly dressed for the weather, and said, had they been notified about her release, could have provided with her a safe ride and a warm shelter. The temperature outside at the time was -33 C, not including the windchill.

In a statement provided to paNOW, Christine Tell, Minister of Corrections, Policing and Public Safety, said she was deeply saddened to hear of the death of Kimberly Squirrel.

“The health and safety of the men, women and youth in our care is of paramount concern. Ministry officials work diligently to ensure these individuals have access to the supports and programming they may need,” she said. “This can at times be a challenge, but we are committed to working with our sector partners to address these issues and improve the outcomes for those who come into contact with the justice system.”

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“It’s sad to say that’s it not a unique experience.” _{– NDP Justice Critic Nicole Sarauer}

The internal review being conducted by the ministries is in accordance with section 105 of The Correctional Services Act, 2012. The length of the review will depend on what information is found as it is being conducted. At this point, there is no timeline in place.

NDP Justice Critic Nicole Sarauer told paNOW she was pleased to hear about the review, but added she had concerns given the fact the ministry was investigating itself. She explained she did not have much faith the ministry would be compelled to publically put forward calls for providing better funding for the services that are lacking.

“For example, this government has been ignoring the addictions crisis for awhile now, and we know that’s one of the issues Miss Squirrel faced, as well as the lack of housing and emergency shelter space in the province,” she said.

Sarauer referred to Squirrel’s death as an extremely tragic situation and one that should not have and did not need to happen.

“A needless loss of life is horrible and I really feel for the family and her loved ones,” she said.

In an interview last week with paNOW, the president of the union representing legal aid lawyers in Saskatchewan said she was amazed the public does not hear more tragic stories, pointing to the lack of supports available for individuals in custody, as well as supports for re-integration. Sarauer said she agreed with that statement.

“It’s sad to say that’s it not a unique experience for those that are in this justice system. They are largely left to their own devices when they leave the jail walls,” she said.

For the 2019-2020 fiscal year (the period ending in August), Corrections spent close to $25,000 to assist offenders who were returning to their home communities after being discharged. When the numbers are broken down, there was no money spent assisting inmates at the Prince Albert Correctional Centre and just under $14,000 was spent for Pine Grove Correction Centre. In comparison, Saskatoon Correctional Centre’s share was $6,189.28, and Regina Correctional Centre was at $4,017.55.

According to a statement from the Ministry, taxi was the most utilized mode of transportation. Other modes of transportation were flights, city transit, and bus. Vehicles assigned to correctional centres are also used if all other options have been exhausted. Prince Albert Legal Aid lawyer Estelle Hjertaas noted in the case of Ms. Squirrel, she was released on bail though it wasn’t clear if she was assisted by a lawyer or not. If a lawyer was involved, Hjertaas explained, normally it would be the lawyer’s role to try to arrange the ride back home and confirm the residence.

“Though many clients assure us that they will have a ride or a residence, and if there is no phone number or way to confirm, then we have to take their word for it. That is the only notification that a family would ever receive—a call from the inmate’s lawyer,” Hjertaas said.

Hjertaas also explained a lot of people with less serious charges may be released before a Justice of the Peace or before a judge in their first appearance, which is without a lawyer. Hjertaas also addressed some comments she has seen on social media with respect to the claim people know their release date and therefore should plan.

“This is not true for release on bail. You might hope to get out, but there is no guarantee that you will be released at all,” she said, adding a person might find out at court that the prosecutor is willing to release, or they might be remanded (which means held in custody) for another day to get a lawyer’s help to run their bail hearing.

“There’s no way to know for sure ahead of time. If the judge says no, you stay in jail until your charges are dealt with one way or another; guilty plea and sentence, or withdrawn/stayed (colloquially, this means “dropped”), or acquittal or finding of guilt after trial,” she said.

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nigel.maxwell@jpbg.ca

On Twitter: @nigelmaxwell