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PRISON FARM PROTEST: THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT'S PLAN TO CLOSE ITS PRISON FARMS ACROSS THE COUNTRY IS NOT SITTING WELL WITH AREA FARMERS AND LOCAL RESIDENTS.
April 30, 2009
THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT'S PLAN TO CLOSE ITS PRISON FARMS ACROSS THE COUNTRY IS NOT SITTING WELL WITH AREA FARMERS AND LOCAL RESIDENTS. TWO OF THE PRISON FARMS EARMARKED FOR CLOSURE INCLUDE LAND AT FRONTENAC AND PITTSBURGH INSTITUTIONS. PROTESTS WERE HELD AT BOTH LOCATIONS TO RAISE AWARENESS OF THE SCHEDULED CLOSURES.
NEWSWATCH'S DARRYN DAVIS HAS MORE IN THIS REPORT....
THESE "GUERRILLA GARDENERS" CAME ARMED WITH THEIR SHOVELS, TROWELS AND SEEDS TO HIGH LIGHT THEIR CONCERNS OVER THE PROPOSED CLOSURE OF TWO LOCAL PRISON FARMS AT FRONTENAC AND PITTSBURGH INSTITUTIONS.
TIM LYON
"THIS SOIL HERE AT THE PENITENTIARY IS POTENTIALLY TURNED AWAY FROM AGRICULTURE AND TOWARDS SOME OTHER DEVELOPMENT USAGE AND I THINK THAT AT THIS POINT IN TIME AND IN GENERAL IT'S A REAL SHAME."
CORRECTIONS CANADA HAS SAID IT IS MOVING AWAY FROM FARMING TO FOCUS ON TEACHING INMATES SKILLS THAT COME WITH A CERTIFICATE.
CORRECTIONS BELIEVES THE NEW TRAINING WILL BETTER PREPARE INMATES FOR THE JOB MARKET WHEN WHEN THEY ARE RELEASED FROM PRISON.
DIANNE DOWLING-- ONE OF THE ORGANIZERS OF THE DAY OF ACTION SAYS FARMING EMPLOYS A MULTITUDE OF SKILLS THAT CAN BE APPLIED TO A NUMBER OF JOBS.
DIANNE DOWLING
" FOR INSTANCE THEY COULD BE LEARNING TO BE A WELDER AND APPLY THEIR WELDING SKILLS HERE ON THE FARM, NOT TO MENTION THE REHABILITATION AND THE THERAPEUTIC EFFECT OF WORKING ON THE LAND AND WITH PLANTS AND ANIMALS, LEARNING THAT THINGS WORK IN CYCLES SO YOU HAVE TO BE PATIENT THINGS DON'T ALWAYS GO WELL, THAT YOU CAN WORK TOGETHER AS A TEAM."
ANOTHER AREA OF CONCERN FOR LOCAL BEEF FARMERS IS THE CLOSING OF THE ABATTOIR AT PITTSBURGH INSTITUTION.
IT'S A LIFE LINE FOR AREA FARMERS TO SELL THEIR MEAT LOCALLY AND JOHN WILLIAMSON SAYS CLOSING THE FACILITY SEEMS CONTRARY TO WHAT THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT PROMISED IN ITS LAST BUDGET.
JOHN WILLIAMSON
"THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT IN THE LAST BUDGET ANNOUNCED FIFTY MILLION TO BUILD NEW ABATTOIRS AND SLAUGHTER CAPACITY ACROSS CANADA AND ANOTHER ARM OF GOVERNMENT IS GOING TO CLOSE ONE THAT'S WORKING."
ANDREW MCCANN HAS SPENT A LOT OF TIME STUDYING FARMING AND TEACHING FOOD SUSTAINABILITY AT ST. LAWRENCE COLLEGE.
HE WANTS THE PRISON FARMS OPEN AND IMPROVED.
ANDREW MCCANN
"WE ARE ASKING THAT THESE PROGRAMS ACTUALLY BE RENEWED AND REVITALIZED AND REORIENTED TOWARDS GROWING SUSTAINABLE LOCAL FOOD WHICH WOULD MEAN A DIFFERENT KIND OF AGRICULTURE. WHICH CAN TRAIN PEOPLE FOR FARMING SUSTAINABLY AND ORGANICALLY ON SMALLER SCALE DIVERSIFIED FARMS THAT CAN FEED DIRECTLY THE CITIZENS OF KINGSTON."
A THIRD GROUP OF FARMERS TOOK THEIR CONCERNS DIRECTLY TO PARLIAMENT HILL ALONG WITH THEIR CATTLE.
DARRYN DAVIS CKWS NEWSWATCH KINGSTON.
KINGSTON POLITICIANS RECENTLY PASSED A MOTION ASKING CORRECTIONS CANADA TO GIVE THE CITY FIRST CRACK AT BUYING PRISON FARM LAND, THAT'S SUPPOSED TO BE MOTHBALLED IN TWO YEARS.
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