Mission – Matsqui-Fraser Canyon/Ottawa – Brad Vis, Member of Parliament for Mission-Matsqui-Fraser Canyon issued the following statement after the deaths of two inmates at Mountain Institution by overdose in only seven days, an officer’s dangerous Fentanyl exposure and the Correctional Service of Canada’s announcement to introduce the Prison Needle Exchange Program (PNEP).
“Our prisons don’t need to encourage dangerous drug use alone in prison cells or introduce needles in an already hazardous workplace”, said MP Vis. “An inmate died of overdose at Mountain Institution this morning and another died of Fentanyl overdose earlier this week. When Officers went to attend, two faced a dangerous exposure to the illicit drug and needed an overdose reversing drug”.
The Union of Correctional Officers of Canada (UCCO-SACC-CSN) have come out against the disturbing announcement that the Prison Needle Exchange Program will be introduced to that very Institution. According to UCCO-SACC-CSN, approximately 80% of inmates arriving in our institutions struggle with some form of addiction or have committed drug related offences.
“Dangerous and illegal drugs are already contraband at prisons”, asserts MP Vis. “Yet the Liberal government has directed the Correctional Service of Canada to provide needles for inmates to inject substances they aren’t supposed to have in their possession. This makes no sense”.
“Common-Sense Conservatives will bring treatment to bring our loved-ones home addiction-free, not set them up alone in cells to use deadly substances”, said MP Vis. “I am proud to be sponsoring a petition spearheaded by UCCO-SAC-CSN, which I will present to the House of Commons on cancelling this program that puts inmates and officers at risk and instead invest in addictions treatment”.
To view the petition: https://www.bradvis.ca/petitions
