…..AT CANADA….AGAIN?

“In this year’s Annual Report, a higher than usual number of my recommendations are directed to the Minister of Public Safety rather than the Correctional Service of Canada.  This is deliberate and consistent with section 180 of the Corrections and Conditional Release Act (CCRA), which directs that I shall provide notice and report to the Minister of Public Safety whenever the Correctional Service of Canada (CSC) does not, within a reasonable time, take adequate or appropriate action to address findings and recommendations of my Office.”

This is from Correctional Investigator Dr. Ivan Zinger’s opening message in his latest Annual Report, 2022-2023.  His simmering frustration is couched in the diplomacy expected of a senior civil servant, although plain-spoken language would be warranted given the long list of grievances CSC has summarily dismissed.

On that list is what was presumed to be one resolved finding in Dr. Zinger’s 2019–2020 Annual Report: namely, a revision to Commissioner’s Directive 022 – Media Relations.  We’ve followed its meandering course to nowhere with a keen interest for over three years.

The Eiffel Tower opened in 1889, built in just 2 years, 2 months, and 5 days, considered record time and a technological feat in its day. Toronto’s CN Tower was completed in 40 months.  To date, 4 years, 4 months, and about 25 days have passed and still no new media relations policy.  Can this delay be anything other than intentionally obstructive?

April 15, 2024

Dr. Ivan Zinger, Correctional Investigator,
The Office of the Correctional Investigator,
P.O. Box 3421, Station “D”,
Ottawa, ON  K1P 6L4

Re:      Commissioner’s Directive CD 022 Media Relations

Dear Dr. Zinger:

Okay, so now what?

You and CSC Commissioner Anne Kelly met in late November 2019, to discuss your concerns with CD 022 as it related to inmate/media contacts, and then exchanged letters confirming the need for a rewrite.  Ms. Kelly noted in her February 24, 2020, letter to you that “a revision of CD 022 is currently underway,” and she expected the update would be available by June 2020.

Where is it?

There is a February 8, 2023, draft for review. I have a May 4, 2023, letter from CSC Assistant Commissioner Kirstan Gagnon that ends with, “We are now doing consultation on the CD with our executive committee, which is one of the last steps in the process.  Once we have incorporated any final input, the new CD will be approved by CSC’s Commissioner and promulgated.”

Four years and more for just one policy reform?

There must come a point where a federal government agency, namely Correctional Service of Canada in this instance, can be considered delinquent by continuing to enforce a murky grey policy that is or may be in part “unreasonable, irrelevant or not founded in law,” as you wrote in your 2019-2020 Annual Report, and “may be in violation of recognized democratic principles and constitutionally guaranteed rights.”

“The wider public has a right to be informed of what goes on behind prison walls.”

Well, does it, or doesn’t it?

Commissioner Kelly was copied.  So too was Senator Kim Pate, the public safety minister and deputy minister, the justice minister and deputy minister, an assistant CSC commissioner and deputy commissioner.
This posting will also be sent to same, plus the 36 remaining current cabinet members.

For Ivan Zinger, good luck dealing with the minister.

CSC accountable?  Don’t think so.  CSC transparent?  Don’t think so.