Pine Grove Correctional Centre. (File photo/paNOW Staff)

By Nigel Maxwell

Corrections

‘I think when you hear the same story enough times, it’s pretty safe to believe that kind of stuff is going on’: legal aid responds to inmate abuse allegations

Dec 23, 2021 | 12:00 PM

The president of the union representing legal aid staff and lawyers in Saskatchewan said she was horrified, but not terribly surprised, to read about allegations surrounding inmate abuse at Pine Grove Correctional Centre.

Julia Quigley, who is also a legal aid lawyer in Prince Albert, was asked by paNOW to respond to recent claims made by a 21-year-old woman on remand, which include allegations of physical and sexual abuse, as well as being placed in segregation for over 40 days simply for making too many demands.

“I hear whisperings from my clients and other people at Pine Grove, and the other correctional centres, about some of the practices and the treatment of inmates,” Quigley confirmed.

Quigley went on to explain the pandemic has made things particularly egregious where several of her clients have contracted COVID while in custody and received in her words pretty abysmal treatment. She cited one example of a man who tested positive and was given Tylenol, but requests for extra blankets were only met after her own calls to the medical office.

“It’s important that there be more transparency in what’s going on” _{– NDP Justice Critic Nicole Sarauer}

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Quigley acknowledged that a lot of people, including those in the legal profession, are a bit weary of taking these stories at face value, but explained those same people are not in a position to judge as they are not physically in the institutions or know what it’s like to be an inmate.

“I think when you hear the same story enough times, it’s pretty safe to believe that kind of stuff is going on,” she said.

A third issue for Quigley is the fact that Pine Grove has been over capacity for several weeks, and people being held on remand (not convicted) are languishing in cells with no programming or mental health supports.

“So you have very damaged people, sitting in over capacity conditions, not getting any real help and at times its actually turning into the kind of mistreatment we are seeing with this case,” she said.

While unable to comment on the specifics of the case at Pine Grove, the Ministry of Corrections has confirmed they are investigating. No timeline has been provided.

Quigley likened the recent allegations to something you might heard at Guantanamo Bay, and said the government, and more specifically Corrections Minister Christine Tell, has been constantly downplaying inmate concerns.

“No responsibility has been taken and we have seen outbreak after outbreak in several of the jails,” she said.

Quigley cited the case of Kimberly Squirrel. The 34-year-old was found frozen to death in Saskatoon just days after being released from the Pine Grove Correctional Centre. Since then, questions have been raised with respect to why her family was not notified about her release and how a person with a history of mental health issues was left alone.

“This government needs to start taking some responsibility and it’s absolutely absurd that they have not,” Quigley said, adding Minister Tell needs to answer to these allegations.

Response from the NDP’s Justice Critic

Nicole Sauer told paNOW the allegations are very concerning.

“We hope that they are taken seriously and that an independent investigation is conducted as soon as possible,” she said.

When asked if any complaints of this nature had crossed her desk in the past, Sarauer confirmed there has been nothing as specific as these allegations. That being said, she explained there’s a lot of concerns with respect to what happens in Saskatchewan jails, given how it’s difficult to get full information in terms of what services are available or what is happening with the inmates.

“There’s a lot of secrecy that happens in our prison system and it’s important that there be more transparency in what’s going on,” she said.

SGEU

paNOW also reached out to the Saskatchewan Government Employees Union for comment as they are the union that represents the correctional officers at the jail.

A spokesperson for the union advised they don’t comment on personnel/HR issues about specific members in their workplace.

“Also, if there is an investigation underway, it would be inappropriate to comment at this time,” they said.

–

nigel.maxwell@pattisonmedia.com

On Twitter: @nigelmaxwell