October 12th, 2022 – RVP Carol Osborne discussed the Ricciardelli report on the mental health of parole officers with Member of Parliament Wayne Long in his constituency office in Saint John, New Brunswick.
This conversation was a follow-up for the liberal MP for Saint John – Rothesay who was already familiar with many of the issues facing our members. MP Long once toured the Parrtown CCC in 2018 and recalled a series of questions that RVP Osborne was able to answer. He specifically inquired whether the caseload ratio of parole officer had improved in recent years. He was also unaware that the CCLO program had still not been reinstated. RVP Osborne was adamant: CCLOs could have played a pivotal role in preventing the tragedy that occurred at James Smith Cree Nation in Saskatchewan.
RVP Osborne further insisted that caseload balance needs to improve for parole officers and brought up the need for tandem supervision, staffing increases and providing backfill. MP Long also asked when the collective bargaining contract was due to expire and how bargaining was going. RVP Osborne explained that we are currently at an impasse.
MP Long was receptive to speaking with the Public Safety Minister, Marco Mendicino and the President of Treasury Board, Mona Fortier on behalf of the USJE.