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PRISON SMOKING: Inmates at Joyceville Penitentiary continue their work stoppage -- as they fight for the right to smoke outdoors.
October 30, 2009
SINCE EARLY WEDNESDAY MORNING, ALL INMATES AT JOYCEVILLE INSTITUTION HAVE REFUSED TO GO TO WORK OR ATTEND THEIR PROGRAMS.
THE MOVE FOLLOWS THE RULING OF A QUEBEC JUDGE THAT SAYS THE LAW BANNING TOBACCO AT FEDERAL PRISONS IS "UNREASONABLE."
HOLLY KNOWLES
"INMATES ARE ESSENTIALLY SENDING A MESSAGE TO THE INSTITUTIONAL MANAGEMENT THAT THEY WOULD LIKE TO BEGIN PURCHASING TOBACCO PRODUCTS AND BEGIN SMOKING OUT DOORS."
BUT THAT ISN'T GOING TO HAPPEN ANY TIME SOON.
THE RENEWED SMOKING DEBATE WAS SPARKED LAST WEEK WHEN A GROUP OF QUEBEC INMATES LAUNCHED AN APPEAL.
A FEDERAL COURT JUDGE AGREED TO LIFT THE NO-SMOKING BAN.
BUT THE RULING DOESN'T COME INTO EFFECT FOR 90 DAYS.
AND DURING THAT TIME, CORRECTIONS CANADA IS EXPECTED TO APPEAL THE JUDGE'S DECISION.
AND IT WILL DO SO WITH THE BLESSING OF THE GUARDS UNION WHICH SEES IT AS A HEALTH AND SAFETY ISSUE.
STEWART
"THE BAN ON TOBACCO MEANS THERE IS VERY LITTLE GETTING IN NOW.
OBVIOUSLY BY SMUGGLING...ILLEGAL CONTRABAND.
AND THE ATMOSPHERE IN THE INSTITUTIONS ACROSS CANADA IS MUCH CLEANER.
THE AIR IS AS CLEAN AS IT EVER HAS BEEN IN FEDERAL INSTITUTIONS."
AND THAT CLEAN AIR MAKES IT MUCH EASIER TO FIND INMATES WHO ARE BREAKING THE LAW BY SMOKING.
IN 2006, THE GOVERNMENT FORCED INMATES AND STAFF TO BUTT OUT WHILE INSIDE PRISON BUILDINGS.
AT THAT TIME, IT WASN'T ILLEGAL TO POSSESS TOBACCO OR SMOKE OUTDOORS.
STEWART
"NO ONE RESPECTED THAT INDOOR SMOKING BAN AND THE AIR WAS JUST AS BLUE AS IT WAS BEFORE 2006."
SO IN MAY OF LAST YEAR, OTTAWA EXTENDED THE BAN TO INCLUDE PIRSON GROUNDS -- INSIDE AND OUT.
SINCE THEN, THE PRICE OF CONTRABAND CIGARETTES HAS JUMPED DRAMATICALLY.
A PACK NOW SELLS FOR AS MUCH AS 5 HUNDRED DOLLARS AMONG THE INMATE POPULATION.
THE GUARDS UNION SAYS THERE HAVE BEEN NO DOCUMENTED INCIDENTS OF VIOLENCE AS A RESULT OF THE TOTAL BAN.
BUT MANY WONDER IF INMATES AT OTHER INSTITUTIONS WILL FOLLOW THEIR COUNTERPARTS AT JOYCEVILLE AND JOIN THE PROTEST.
HOLLY
"THE CORRECTIONAL SERVICE OF CANADA IS PREPARING FOR THAT POSSIBILITY.
HOWEVER, CURRENTLY IT'S JUST JOYCEVILLE INSTITUTION THAT IS INVOLVED IN A WORK REFUSAL."
CURRENTLY CORRECTIONS CANADA IS WORKING WITH AN INMATE COMMITTEE AT JOYCEVILLE TO TRY AND GET PRISONERS BACK TO WORK.
THEY SAY THE PROTEST HAS BEEN PEACEFUL AND THE INSTITUTION IS OPERATING UNDER A "NORMAL ROUTINE"
STU HAY CKWS NEWSWATCH KINGSTON.
INMATES AT JOYCEVILLE PENITENTIARY CONTINUE THEIR WORK STOPPAGE -- AS THEY FIGHT FOR THE RIGHT TO SMOKE OUTDOORS.
CORRECTIONS CANADA SAYS IT'S BEEN A PEACEFUL PROTEST SO FAR, BUT THEY WORRY INMATES FROM OTHER PRISONS MAY SOON JOIN THE FIGHT.
THE INMATE PROTEST WAS SPARKED AFTER INMATES IN QUEBEC CHALLENGED THE SMOKING BAN IN COURT.
THE DETAILS FROM NEWSWATCH'S STU HAY.
CKWS POLL
are you in favour of clear garbage bags, or the use of bag tags to help divert more waste from local landfills?
