To compliment the February 26th entry to “Justice for Brennan Guigue”, Frédéric Héran’s February 12th letter needed a follow-up. Here’s my March 2nd response to Mr. Héran, and a March 6th letter to the Director/Warden at the Regional Reception Centre in Sainte-Anne-des-Plaines north of Montreal. Both are self-explanatory.

March 2, 2015

Frédéric Héran, Manager of Investigations,
Office of the Correctional Investigator,
P.O. Box 3421, Station “D”,
Ottawa, ON K1P 6L4

Dear Mr. Héran:

On behalf of Brennan Wayne Guigue, thank you for your February 12th letter regarding your Office’s findings around the July 22nd incident at RCC at Sainte-Anne-des-Plaines. He acknowledges that the OCI has now closed this file.

Brennan Guigue will continue to have an interest in this, however, as RCC staff members not only acted inappropriately, as you concluded, but contravened CSC policy on the use of OC, and behaved criminally as well. Needless to say, they also violated provisions of international treaties on the treatment of prisoners to which this country is a signatory. In addition, there is a real and probable possibility other inmates have been subject to the same abuse. One point that did not come to light here was the “seed” from which this experience sprang, but then, the reasons that ignite and inflame these situations rarely do.

These concerns are outside your purview of course, but Brennan appreciates the work you and your Office has done to bring the substance of this incident to CSC’s attention.
In gratitude, I am,

Yours truly,

Charles H. Klassen
cc Stephen Fineberg, Montreal
Don Head, Ottawa
Brennan Guigue
turnoverarocktoday.com

March 6, 2015

Stephane Lalande, Director,
Regional Reception Centre,
246 Montée Gagnon,
Sainte-Anne-des-Plaines, QC
J0N 1H0

Re: Brennan Wayne Guigue, FPS104902C
RCC use-of-force incident, July 22, 2014

Director Lalande:

The Office of the Correctional Investigator wrote Brennan Guigue on February 12 to say that with respect to the July 22, 2014 use-of-force incident at RCC, “the conclusion of the local management and the regional review from Correction (sic) Service Canada (CSC) which is consistent with our review of the fact that the level of force used was inappropriate and inconsistent with the Situation Management Model.”

This circumstance began when a guard made an unwarranted and unjustifiable decision contrary to CSC practice. Other CSC staff members escalated what should have been resolved quickly and without fanfare into an “inappropriate” action that also contravened both CSC policy and the manufacturer’s recommendations on the proper use of OC, crossed the line into criminality, and violated the provisions of international treaties on the treatment of prisoners to which this country is a signatory. In addition, there is a real and probable possibility other inmates have been subject to this same abuse.

According to the OCI letter referenced above, “CSC has identified and completed the corrective actions to address the concerns our Office had in regard to this incident.” This writer objects to the disregard for the law and CSC directives by many CSC employees on the one hand, and the absence of substantive consequences on the other. It’s important the public is made aware when civil servants do not act in our best interests, and I am keen to be an instrument to that end.

Yours truly,

Charles H. Klassen
cc blind copies