A few inmates from the Pine Grove Correctional Centre have dropped out of a hunger strike that also includes inmates from the Saskatoon Correctional Centre.
As of Tuesday, the number refusing their meal trays at the Saskatoon facility remains at 48, but at the women’s correctional facility in Prince Albert, there were originally 15 taking part and now there are three, according to the Corrections Ministry.
However, a ministry spokesperson says in an email , “We understand that offenders at the Saskatoon Correctional Centre are still consuming canteen items.”
Prisoner advocate Sheri Maier says the hunger strike is to protest what inmates consider dangerous conditions leading to widespread COVID-19 transmission among prisoners and staff.
Along with wanting an apology from the government and the resignation of Corrections Minister Christine Tell for what they consider failing to prepare and respond to COVID-19 in jails, they are also asking for a reduction in the population at these facilities by reducing all prisoners possible, including those on remand, near their release date, immunocrompromised or over fifty.
The Corrections Ministry says the system is currently at just over 77 per cent capacity and they don’t have the legal authority to release remanded inmates.