Province Dealing with Justice Issues, Op-ed

NOTE: The following is an op-ed piece by Justice Minister Ross Landry

There has been a lot of discussion over the past year about Nova Scotia's justice system. There's no question that we've had our fair share of issues, but it's equally true, that since becoming Minister of Justice, I've committed to, and followed through on, a number of improvements.

Nova Scotia families and communities are better protected today because of the positive steps taken to improve conditions at our correctional facilities and courts, to make them more safe and secure.

I want to focus on the Central Nova Scotia Correctional Facility, or Burnside as it is commonly called, where we house the province's most dangerous inmates. This facility has garnered a lot of attention of late, from assaults to overcrowding to temporary absences. I want to set the record straight.

Are we avoiding the issues? No. Government is tackling the issues head on.

Over the past six months, we have increased bed capacity, which has reduced the number of temporary absences issued for overcrowding. We have also improved surveillance and brought in new protective equipment and procedures for staff. Most importantly, we have implemented a zero-tolerance policy against violence and intimidation toward staff. All of these things are creating a safer work environment for our staff and a more secure facility.

Moving the office of the provincial director of corrections to the Burnside location is also bringing positive change. We are working hard to strengthen communications with staff and the union and are working more collaboratively than ever before. I have regular meetings with the union president to identify issues and concerns. Our improved relationship is also evident in the recent joint tour of correctional facilities in B.C. and Alberta. Department of Justice and union staff toured other facilities to understand what is working well, and possibly apply some of those insights to enhance safety and security at our facilities.

The most recent improvement to the justice system was the Disclosure Policy, released March 30. This policy guides the release of information in the event of a major incident involving people in the custody of the province.

Not only will this make us more open and transparent, it is the most comprehensive of its kind in Canada. We will be sharing more information with Nova Scotians, more quickly than ever before. That is my commitment.

We know incidents will happen, regardless of the safety and security measures we put in place. And when they do, Nova Scotians have a right to this information, especially if it results in a threat to public safety or will be of significant public interest. But we are not out to create panic by releasing information about every incident that happens in our courts and correctional facilities. We have highly trained staff equipped to deal with day-to-day issues.

I hold no illusion that our justice system will ever be problem-free. After all, we are dealing with dangerous inmates. But I know we will continue to make improvements to ensure the safety of staff, inmates and the public.