Inmates, public get a say on new made-in-Nunavut Corrections Act

Nunavut's outdated Corrections Act is getting an overhaul, and five communities across the territory will have a chance to take part in public consultations to help shape the new made-in-Nunavut Act.

"The department alone cannot speak to inmate and community safety," said Yvonne Niego, the assistant deputy minister for the department of Justice.

"It's up to the inmates and the community to determine what makes them feel safe, so we need the community and individuals input into this, including inmates."

The Corrections Act covers everything from proper treatment for inmatesto rehabilitation programs and prison oversight.

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Nunavut's correction system has been the centre of much controversy.The conditions of Baffin Correctional Centre, Nunavut's only maximum security facility were exposed in a 2015 auditor general's report.

The Department of Justice has also admitted that it doesn't have the "proper staffing, relevant training and adequate infrastructure" to deliver rehabilitative programming to prisoners in the territory's corrections system.

Unlikeother Canadian jurisdictions, the territory's correctional facilities are also not monitored by an outside agency, such as an ombudsman, giving prisoners littleabilityto voice their concerns.

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The territory inherited their current act from the Northwest Territories in 1999, and there haven't been any substantial changes for the past 30 years.

Now, the territorial government is promising a made-in-Nunavut Corrections Act that will incorporate modern corrections practices.

'Our communities are very isolated'

Community members will get a chance to weigh-in on issues such as the safe custody and care of inmates, programming for inmates, including training and rehabilitation, and methods fortheir safe integration back into the community.

"The consultations will be offering the public that chance to tell the department what should be within the act," said Niego.

She added that any issue, program or service flagged by the community as a priority will be taken into account in the creation of the new act.

One issue that Niego said has already been raised by families is keeping in touch with prisoners.

"Our communities are very isolated," said Niego, "so I know that contact is an issue."

Niego said family members have raised concerns over being able to regularly communicate with inmates and being able to send them packages from home.

Incorporating Inuit values into the programming within the corrections system is also a major priority within the new act.

The consultations start on Aug. 31 in Cape Dorset and end on Sept. 18 in Kugluktuk. Iqaluit (Sept. 6), Rankin Inlet (Sep. 11) and Cambridge Bay (Sept. 15) are the other hamlets where consultations will take place.