The chief commissioner of the Ontario Human Rights Commission wants the Ford government to reduce overcrowding at the Thunder Bay District Jail.
Renu Mandhane told the pre-budget consultations in the city, it would be the first problem to solve since a new jail could be five years away.
“When you have that many people in a facility…staff are kind of pushed to the brink so they often are taking leaves and it’s very hard to provide any kind of rehabilitation or even health care,” said Mandhane.
The mental health needs of the inmates is also a top priority for Mandhane. Following a visit to the facility with Nishnawbe Aski Grand Chief Alvin Fiddler, she found out a psychiatrist visits the jail about twice a month. She indicates with 150 people being incarcerated any given night there are many “with complex mental health needs.”
The human rights commissioner also asked for more training for corrections workers and evaluation of staffing levels.
However, Mandhane is not optimistic there will be a change recalling a visit she made to Adam Capay who was in isolation for four years. She was certain it would force something to happen, but “not much has changed.”
