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Michael
Jackson, QC.
President
Peter Benning
Vice President
Sasha Pawliuk
Treasurer
Eddie Rouse
Secretary
John W. Conroy,
QC.
Counsel
Members at
Large:
Liz Elliott
Gayle Horii
Phyllis Iverson
Rita Leon
Des Turner |
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West
Coast Prison Justice Society
204 – 32450
Simon Avenue
Abbotsford, BC V2T 4J2
Tel. 604-853-3114 Fax. 604-853-1038 |
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April 2, 2003
Ms. Mary Gusella
Chief Commissioner
The Canadian Human Rights Commission
344 Slater Street, 8th Floor
Ottawa, ON K1A 1E1
Dear Ms. Gusella:
RE: Federally Sentenced Women
The West Coast Prison Justice Society is a non-profit society incorporated in
1994 under the laws of British Columbia. Our purposes include the promotion
of the rule of law within prisons and penitentiaries, and the fair and equal
treatment of prisoners. We publish a newsletter of legal information of interest
to prisoners and parolees in the province. We are developing an updated
version of John W. Conroy’s Canadian Prison Law, which will be accessible
through the internet. Through a contract with the Legal Services Society of
BC, our Prisoners’ Legal Services office provides legal services to prisoners.
We are writing
to add our voice to those concerned about the unequal treatment
of federally sentenced women in Canada. We support the provision
of a forum for the Commission to receive submissions from women
who have been imprisoned in Canada and others who advocate on
their behalf.
In particular,
we wish to commend the experience and expertise of Strength in
Sisterhood and the Canadian Association of Elizabeth Fry Societies.
These organisations have proven their commitment to ameliorating
the inequalities experienced by federally sentenced women in Canada.
Federally
sentenced women in British Columbia have long experienced discrimination
on the basis of sex. Held in provincial custody, they have not
had the same access as men to lower security institutions and
half way houses, programming, education, or family contact. On
the eve of the development of the new multi-level penitentiary
for women in British Columbia, the Commission has a unique opportunity
to effect positive change for federally sentenced women.
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