Right on that charge form?
Evidence of meeting #59 for Status of Women in the 41st Parliament, 1st Session. (The original version is on Parliament’s site, as are the minutes.) The winning word was rcmp.
A video is available from Parliament.
Evidence of meeting #59 for Status of Women in the 41st Parliament, 1st Session. (The original version is on Parliament’s site, as are the minutes.) The winning word was rcmp.
A video is available from Parliament.
11:30 a.m.
Correctional Officer, Union of Canadian Correctional Officers
Absolutely, yes. We need something that directly says “sexual harassment, inappropriate behaviour, inmates posting explicit pictures on their cell walls”. We need something that is more specific and in line with that.
11:30 a.m.
Liberal
Judy Sgro Liberal York West, ON
There are certain laws prohibiting what an inmate can have in his cell, are there not?
11:30 a.m.
Correctional Officer, Union of Canadian Correctional Officers
Yes. There's a fire load. It depends on the institution what they can and cannot have in their cells.
11:30 a.m.
Liberal
Judy Sgro Liberal York West, ON
So if you could, please leave us that document, and thank you for that suggestion.
11:30 a.m.
NDP
11:30 a.m.
Conservative
Wai Young Conservative Vancouver South, BC
Thank you, Madam Chair.
Thank you again for being here. We wanted to call you back because of your extensive experience in a very difficult work environment, as my colleagues have already outlined.
I want to talk a little bit about training. We didn't have a chance previously to talk about this in depth. I want to just share with you that in the 2011 public service employees survey, 70% of female and 64% of male Correctional Services Canada employees who experienced harassment indicated that the source of this harassment is a co-worker.
I want to separate out the harassment from a co-worker from the harassment from an inmate and ask you how you are in your training. I mean, obviously you received some training before you started the job, and perhaps you received some training during the job—maybe you have to go for refresher courses or that sort of thing. How is that delivered to you in the course of both choosing your career as well as during your career?
11:35 a.m.
Correctional Officer, Union of Canadian Correctional Officers
That's actually not discussed at all. It's something we don't talk about. We don't talk about harassment. That's one of our recommendations. We have had enough trivialization in that area. We want to shed light on this issue. We suggest that training be provided as soon as people leave college and that a component be dedicated only to harassment.
11:35 a.m.
Conservative
Wai Young Conservative Vancouver South, BC
Let me be very clear. Are you saying that there is no training on sexual harassment or harassment in general? Perhaps it's because you joined the service 26 years ago and there was no training then? Are there courses now that are being offered, or are you saying that there are no courses being offered?
11:35 a.m.
Correctional Officer, Union of Canadian Correctional Officers
There's nothing. When you become a correctional officer, you don't receive that kind of training in college or during your career. It's all handled on a case-by-case basis. Each time something like this happens, the case is handled as well as possible.
11:35 a.m.
Conservative
11:35 a.m.
Correctional Officer, Union of Canadian Correctional Officers
Absolutely, yes.
11:35 a.m.
Conservative
Wai Young Conservative Vancouver South, BC
Well, that's why we're doing the study, so it's so great that you guys are here.
Given that then, it must be quite a shock to start your first day, or whatever it happens to be, when this is not addressed at all. Would you say that's true?
Let me rephrase the question.
Given that this is not dealt with whatsoever in terms of training, would you agree with this statistic? Are you harassed more by your co-workers, or have you experienced more harassment from the inmates? Based on your experience, where would the percentages be?
11:35 a.m.
Correctional Officer, Union of Canadian Correctional Officers
I cannot give you a percentage. The policy is clear when harassment comes from colleagues, but it is in a grey area when inmates are involved. It's difficult because we have to prove beyond a reasonable doubt that we did nothing to warrant that kind of harassment.
As for our co-workers, I am not saying that harassment doesn't happen. People can experience harassment in any occupation. In our case, policies are in place, and a process is being implemented. That's why I am saying that we think the statistics are unreliable.
11:35 a.m.
Conservative
Wai Young Conservative Vancouver South, BC
Just to confirm, you did mention there is a policy if you're harassed by your co-workers, but there's no policy if you're harassed by the inmates?
11:35 a.m.
Correctional Officer, Union of Canadian Correctional Officers
Implementing the policy is difficult. The key thing would be the ability to report offences, but we are lacking any kind of relevant terminology. Recently, a correctional officer was sexually harassed by an inmate. Finally, we were able to transfer the inmate. The officer was left with the consequences, but there was no case where we were unable to transfer the inmate who was guilty of sexual harassment.
11:35 a.m.
NDP
The Chair NDP Marie-Claude Morin
I have to stop you there because your time is up.
We are now going back to the official opposition with Ms. Ashton, who has five minutes.
11:35 a.m.
NDP
Niki Ashton NDP Churchill, MB
Ms. Beauchemin and Ms. Boudreau, thank you very much for coming back to meet with us. What you have to say is extremely important. I have a few questions for you.
We know that the conditions in our country's federal prisons are changing. The passing of Bill C-10 will result in greater pressure on correctional systems. We have heard that one of the things prison employees are worried about is the tension that increases with the number of inmates because the prisons are not built to handle so many people.
I am wondering whether this bill and this pressure on the system will have an impact on sexual harassment and the tensions you are already experiencing. I'm talking about an impact not only on other incidents, but also on the hesitation or willingness to talk about those incidents.
11:40 a.m.
Correctional Officer, Union of Canadian Correctional Officers
I think there will certainly be an impact. The number of inmates will increase. There will be more double bunking. All the ingredients that prevent our situation from improving are there. That's clear.
11:40 a.m.
NDP
Niki Ashton NDP Churchill, MB
Do your employers provide any training on prevention? We discussed inmates, but is there any training provided to prevent harassment among the employees, and especially employees of the opposite sex?