Round two: Nunavut justice to re-do Iqaluit corrections act consult

Yvonne Niego, assistant deputy minister of justice, says the old Corrections Act, inherited from the Northwest Territories, is “really not reflective of Nunavut values and Inuit societal values.” (FILE PHOTO)

If at first you don’t succeed, try, try again.

That’s the approach the Government of Nunavut’s justice department is taking on its public consultations on changes to the out-dated Corrections Act.

A public consultation in Iqaluit fell flat Sept. 6 when not one member of the public from Nunavut’s largest community attended.

The justice department announced Sept. 9 that another consultation will be held at a later date in Iqaluit in an effort to garner some actual public input.

The justice department will also schedule another consultation in Cape Dorset, the Sept. 9 statement said, after a scheduled consultation there was cancelled out of respect for local search and rescue efforts for missing teen Saali Toonoo.

Dates have not been set yet for the Iqaluit and Cape Dorset consultations.

Nunavut’s Correction Act, over 30 years old and inherited from the Government of the Northwest Territories, is outdated, Assistant Deputy Minister Yvonne Niego told Nunatsiaq News Sept. 9.

“So it’s really not reflective of Nunavut values and Inuit societal values,” she said.

It’s important for community members to have their say on proposed changes to the Corrections Act because those changes, in part, will address how best to release offenders back into their home communities, Niego said.

“I’m sure many, many families in every community have been affected by crime,” Niego said.

That includes many families that have had relatives in Nunavut’s correctional facilities, she added.

“It’s important for communities to say what will make them feel safer and more secure.”

The Corrections Act review will also look at recommendations to improve the rights of inmates.

Inmates at Iqaluit’s notorious Baffin Correctional Centre have told Nunatsiaq News basic rights such as fresh air have been routinely denied.

That’s a fact some justice department bureaucrats confirm while others deny.

But Niego said her department will be “stepping it up a notch” ahead of consultations planned for later this fall in other communities.

“I personally am making phone calls with community leadership… in advance of attending communities,” Niego said.

“I’ll personally attend community consultations along with our policy shop.”

Niego said she plans to be in Cambridge Bay for a consultation on Sept. 15, Kugluktuk for a consultation on Sept. 19 and in Rankin Inlet for a consultation on Oct. 11.

The Iqaluit and Cape Dorset consultations will take place after the Rankin Inlet consultation, Niego said.

“I very much look forward to engaging with people and organizations in communities and hope to see them at the consultations.”