We commenced the meetings by urging the Acting Commissioner and Deputy Commissioner for Women [of the Correctional Service of Canada (CSC)], to acknowledge the reality that women serving federal prison sentences experience discriminatory treatment.

In addition, as a result of the immediate interventions of Strength in Sisterhood and Womyn 4 Justice, the coalition of equality-seeking groups asserted the urgent need for the closure of the maximum security units and the need to review all of the women’s cases, but especially those who are classified as maximum security prisoners and are therefore living in segregated imprisonment. The warden of Nova and the acting commissioners agreed to at least review the cases of the four women then remaining in the maximum security unit in Nova.

The commissioners agreed that the cases of the two Aboriginal women who are currently regarded by CSC as the most dangerous and difficult to manage should also be reviewed, with a view to developing plans for the reduction of their security classification and increasing their community reinsertion potential. The warden at Nova also indicated that she would prefer to close the maximum security unit, so that she might unlock the doors and use the space as an orientation unit.

The Correctional Service of Canada (CSC) circulated their draft response to the recommendations of the human rights commission only a few days in advance of the meetings. Although this gave very little time for participants to read it before the meetings, all of the coalition partners did read it. The overwhelming response from the coalition partners was that CSC was not taking seriously the nature or extent of the recommendations that the Canadian Human Rights Commission made in their report, Protecting Their Rights: A Systemic Review of Human Rights in Correctional Services for Federally Sentenced Women.

In addition, because the CSC chose to contract a very privileged white man to facilitate the consultation, there were added procedural issues which related to his apparent inability to recognize many issues and understand concerns expressed during the meetings. One key example, for instance, was his apparent lack of appreciation of the vast and distinct power differences between staff and women prisoners, particularly those with and about whom we were speaking (i.e. Aboriginal women, other racialized women, and women with mental and/or cognitive disabilities).

Central to the submissions that CAEFS made at the meeting, was the need to fundamentally address the discriminatory nature of the classification scheme, which could in turn result in a fundamental change in all other facets of the prison system as it is applied to women. In addition, another central theme for CAEFS and the other equality-seeking groups that attended was the clear and growing need for independent and external oversight mechanisms in order to ensure correctional authorities are held accountable to a standard that focuses on human rights and obligations pursuant to the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms.