DISCRIMINATION AGAINST ABORIGINAL WOMEN
RAMPANT IN FEDERAL PRISONS
CLAIMS THE NATIVE WOMEN’S ASSOCAITIONA OF CANADA

OTTAWA—(May 14, 2003)—“Discrimination against Aboriginal women is rampant in Canada’s federal prisons,” says the Native Women’s Association of Canada. The national organization representing Canada’s Aboriginal women coast-to-coast condemns the Government of Canada for their oppressive tactics against Aboriginal female prisoners. It was the disproportionately large number of suicides in prison by Aboriginal female offenders that lead to the closure of the notorious Prison for Women in Kingston, Ontario, and to the opening of five new regional women’s prisons. At this time many of our women are still serving oppressive time in men’s prisons or are locked away in maximum security cells, unable to access the necessary programs and services related to their increased potential for successful reintegration and timely release back into the community. “Aboriginal female offenders have always been subjected to the harshest treatment imaginable and it is in part the treatment of Aboriginal women prisoners at the Prison for Women that lead to the Commission of Inquiry into Certain Events at: the Prison for Women in Kingston by Justice L. Arbour [Ottawa: Public Works and Government Services, Canada, 1996].

While making up less than 2 per cent of Canada’s population, Aboriginal female offenders make up 27 per cent of all women serving federal time. Aboriginal women are further oppressed when you consider that they make up 50 per cent of women who are classified as ‘maximum security’ prisoners.