In order to file a grievance, your problem needs to be within the jurisdiction of the CSC.³¹² Examples of common issues not within the CSC’s jurisdiction are doctors’ decisions not to prescribe pain medication, parole board decisions, and actions of contract workers.

It is important to file a grievance regarding any staff decision which further restricts your freedom. Grievances that significantly affect a woman’s rights and freedoms will be assigned priority.³¹³ You will find a list of examples below.

What issues are considered high priority?
Certain grievances are automatically assigned high priority. These include³¹⁴ (but are not limited to):

• Placement in administrative segregation
• Treatment and diagnosis – urgent health services treatment
• Religious and spiritual programs
• Restriction/cancellation of visits
• Penitentiary placement
• Involuntary transfers
• Decisions of the National Review Board – Special Handling Unit
• Use of force
• Harassment by staff
• Sexual harassment
• Discrimination
• Strip searches (both prisoners and visitors)
• Prisoner complaint and grievance procedure

Other situations that have a significant impact on a prisoner’s rights and freedoms but are not on this list may also be deemed high priority. Urgent matters are to be given high priority status. For example, if you file a grievance after being denied a temporary absence in order to visit a terminally ill relative, your case should be given high priority status and immediately brought to the appropriate decision-maker’s attention.³¹⁵