CORRECTIONAL OFFICERS JOIN MPP BAILEY IN CALLING FOR REVIEW OF SARNIA JAIL CLOSURE

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Queen’s Park— Last week, Ontario’s correctional officers joined Sarnia-Lambton MPP Bob Bailey in calling for the Ministry of Community Safety and Correctional Services to review the closure of the Sarnia Jail. As of this week, both MPP Bailey and Ontario’s correctional officers have now stated that they believe keeping the Sarnia Jail open could help to relieve the systemic issues of violence and poor conditions in Ontario’s detention centres due to overcrowding at larger regional facilities.

The recommendation from the Ontario Public Service Employees Union, who represents Ontario’s 3,500 correctional officers, comes in response to the recently released Ombudsman’s report outlining ongoing mismanagement by the Liberal Government which has led to declining conditions in Ontario’s correctional facilities.

“Everyone except this Liberal Government understands that Ontario’s correctional system is collapsing under the weight of systemic overcrowding in facilities like London’s EMDC,” said MPP Bailey. “Closing the Sarnia Jail and stripping one hundred beds from the system will only exacerbate the problem.”

“Based on the Ministry’s own numbers, the day the new correctional facility in Windsor opens it will be at capacity, providing absolutely no relief to our overburdened system,” added MPP Bailey. “The correctional officers are correct, and I fully support their call for the Sarnia Jail to remain open in order to deal with the horrible overcrowding in our system.”

“Ontario’s correctional officers protect the people of Ontario by serving in some of the most dangerous environments in our province,” said MPP Bailey. “I have visited provincial detention centres across Ontario and, time and time again, I see this government’s record of prison violence and unsanitary conditions. This government needs to fulfill its core responsibility and ensure basic safety and security within Ontario’s correctional facilities for correctional officers and inmates alike.”

“The government needs to review the decision to close the jail before it is too late.”

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For more information, contact:

David Donovan | 416-325-1715 | david.donovan@pc.ola.org | www.bobbaileympp.com