On March 21, National President David Neufeld and RVP Bill Bailey visited Grand Valley Institution (GVI) as the final site visit during their tour of Ontario CSC institutions. The tour was facilitated by Local 00950 President, Julie Bowen and Vice-President Janet Jayasekera.
GVI is the largest women’s minimum and medium security federal correctional facility in Canada, with approximately 220 inmates. More than 100 USJE members work at the facility providing services like programs and teaching, administration support and facilities maintenance.
The union representatives had a quick meet and greet to start the morning, with a few members popping by to introduce themselves and share their union solidarity. Member Shawna O’Donnell, Local 00950’s Women’s Representative, was proud to share her recent election to the PSAC Women’s Committee.
Local President Bowen then launched into an extensive tour of the institution, guiding President Neufeld and RVP Bailey throughout the grounds. The team visited several unique units:
- the Mother-Child program
- a program that allows children under the age of four years to live with and/or spend extended time with their mothers within the prison
- the Structured Living Environment (SLE)
- A program-based unit that , provides the opportunity for offenders to learn to live effectively with others within the population at GVI
- Structured Intervention Unit (SIU)
- A unit for offenders who have had issues in the general population, where they must be offered four hours of meaningful contact per day
- Food services
- The food service unit at GVI primarily provides groceries for inmates to cook themselves
- The unit is staffed with one staff member working alongside approximately 10 inmates picking groceries for other inmates
- There is a small kitchen that provides meals for one housing unit and maximum-security offenders
Mid-morning, the group met with Warden Angela Beecher for a very positive chat. The conversation included:
- workload concerns following a sharp increase in the number of inmates at the facility
- staff workspace issues and a balanced approach to hybrid work
- changes to presumptive injury legislation
Immediately following the meeting with Warden Beecher, USJE met with Kitchener Centre MP, Mike Morrice, who was keen to learn more about the work done by USJE members at GVI.
President Neufeld explained the urgent need for updates to presumptive injury legislation to better protect USJE members in the event of post-traumatic stress injuries from the work they do to preserve public safety. With permission, Local President Bowen shared personal stories from workers at GVI who had been affected by the outdated Government Employees Compensation Act.
MP Morrice was extremely receptive and eager to support USJE’s work, following his potential re-election.
USJE thanks everyone at GVI who took the time to share their spaces with us, and particularly Local President Bowen and Vice-President Jayasekera for providing a phenomenal tour.