Corrections refuses to tell taxpayers what it’s doing with their cash

Correctional Service Canada is often described by the universally accepted acronym “CSC.” A convict I’ve known who spent decades behind bars always referred sneeringly to it as Corruptional Services Canada. He regularly addressed correspondence to senior prison officials that way. I’m thinking that in the current climate a better moniker would be Correctional Secrets Canada. After I obtained information this week compiled by senior Corrections officials, revealing that new cells will be built at 35 prisons, I asked Corrections for comment. The answer (after the jump), is a little less than illuminating.

I asked for an interview. Instead, I got this email from a Corrections spokeswoman at National Headquarters in Ottawa:

Good afternoon Mr. Tripp,

In response to your enquiry regarding the infrastructure expansion of CSC Institutions

We will not comment on documents that we have not seen.

However, I can tell you that the Correctional Service of Canada is implementing a
multi-faceted accommodation strategy to address the increase of the offender
population expected to result from the Truth in Sentencing Act. Fortunately, CSC is
well positioned to meet the challenge and build on our effective corrections
expertise. The government is providing the necessary funds to address this
anticipated growth in the offender population and ensure CSC can continue to deliver
on its public safety mandate. There will be an increase in shared accommodation and
the addition of over 2,700 spaces across our penitentiaries over the next three
years to handle this population growth.

The Request for Proposal for work on two new living units at Springhill Institution
is the first in a series of such RFPs were issued. Similar RFPs will be issued in
the coming months to begin preparations at other affected institutions.

In addition to new spaces within the existing facilities, we are also working on a
long-term plan that takes into account the need to replace some penitentiaries that
have stood the test of time for many decades.

Please note that the new living units will be constructed within existing
institutions and will not require construction on undeveloped land.

There are no approved plans to build new institutions at this time.

Best regards,

Melissa Hart
Senior Media Relations Advisor | Conseillère principale en relations avec les médias
Correctional Service Canada | Service correctionnel Canada
NHQ | AC – Ottawa

I thought it was a bit bizarre, and rich, to say ‘we won’t comment on “documents that we have not seen.”

Huh?

This is data produced by Corrections Canada staff and circulating among the service’s most senior staff. Any documents that reference the list of 35 pens, are Corrections Canada documents. Convenient though, to suggest you just don’t know what document someone is talking about.

Justin Piche, a PhD candidate at Carleton University in Ottawa, who has made a name for himself digging out information on prison construction plans across Canada, said the list suggests Corrections is simply trying to bypass public consultation by erecting new units inside existing penitentiaries.

“They’re using a construction and siting strategy that basically circumvents community consultation … it’s building new penitentiaries under another name as far as I’m concerned,” Piche told me.

Read more of his analysis at his blog.