THUNDER BAY – Michael Gravelle acknowledged a riot and standoff at the Thunder Bay District Jail last week highlights the need for a new jail, but there is currently no definite plan from the provincial Liberal government to build a replacement.
The Thunder Bay-Superior North MPP toured the 90-year-old jail on Friday afternoon with the facility’s deputy superintendent and OPSEU Local 737 president Mike Lundy, who represents correctional officers working inside the jail.
Gravelle, who had most recently been inside the MacDougall Street building about eight years ago, said the Dec. 7 riot where a correctional officer was held hostage by inmates for more than three hours is the most recent catalyst in his calls for a replacement facility.
“I’m here today, not to say I shouldn’t have been here a month ago or two months ago,” he said. “I will acknowledge I’m here in large measure because of what happened 10 days ago and that of course is motivating me to be a little more vocal about the need for a new facility.”
The incident, which broke out in the protective custody unit on the upper floor of the jail, was described as a “full-blown riot” that lasted for more than 12 hours and caused significant damage to the unit.
In the immediate aftermath Community Safety and Correctional Services Minister Yasir Naqvi reached out to and spoke with the correctional officer held hostage, Lundy and jail management.
The situation attracted attention in the legislature at Queen’s Park last week and Progressive Conservative and provincial Opposition Leader Patrick Brown toured the facility earlier this week and called on the government to address the situation.
That visit came just days after OPSEU president Warren (Smokey) Thomas went through the jail and slammed the state of inside conditions the inmates live in and the correctional officers work in.
But despite that, Gravelle said any plans for a replacement jail will come as a result of the correctional system currently being undertaken by Naqvi and the ministry.
“There is a clear need for a transformation of the correctional services sector so in that sense it is underway,” Gravelle said. “I know that a full review of the correctional services sector is underway. I would make the leap that it would indeed include what is needed in terms of facilities for the future.”
He added it’s important to ensure those inside the facilities are protected.
“This is truly about making sure we not just keep the inmates safe but the correctional officers safe and the best evidence of that is what happened that night not that long ago when the situation occurred,” he said.
“That was shocking. That was something you don’t expect to happen. It was terrifying obviously in so many ways for (the officer) and the other correctional officers as well.”
In addition to correctional officers working inside the jail, OPSEU leadership, opposition parties and Gravelle himself, vocal calls for a new jail have been made by members of Thunder Bay city council and the Thunder Bay Police Services Board.
