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Petition: No More Tragic Deaths in Ontario’s Jails! Make ALL Coroner Jury Recommendations – Past and Present – Legally-Binding

To the Hon. Michael S. Kerzner Ontario’s Ministry of the Solicitor General (SOLGEN),

I am writing to express the concerns of myself and fellow residents of Ontario, regarding the issue of preventable deaths in our provincial jail system. We demand that ALL non-binding recommendations emanating from mandatory coroner inquests be made legally-binding to ensure the protection and safety of those under provincial supervision.  

If the comprehensive lists of past and present recommendations were fully implemented victims of Ontario’s jail system such as, 39-year-old Abduraham Ibrahim Hassan, 31-year-old Justin St. Amour, 59-year-old Moses Amik Beaver, 26-year-old Jordan Sheard, 30-year-old Cleve Geddes, 27-year-old Yousef Hussein, 30-year-old Adam Kenneth Reed, 23-year-old Clayton Cromwell, 24-year-old Murray James Davis, 24-year-old Kevon Junior O’Brien-Phillip, 36-year-old Dustin McMillan, 30-year-old Soleiman Faqiri, 69-year-old Euplio Cusano and many more would still be alive today! For this reason, it is imperative to make all non-binding recommendations legally-binding without delay.

As concerned citizens we believe that it is not enough for Ontario’s Ministry of the Solicitor General to engage in a six-month review of non-binding recommendations. The notion of non-binding recommendations is extremely offensive to all families struggling to ensure that the premature death of their loved ones in Ontario’s jails will not happen to another family. The moral and political urgency of this matter cannot be underestimated.

One way for the Ministry of the Solicitor General to demonstrate respect for all those impacted by these preventable deaths is to make all non-binding recommendations legally-binding. Without a legal guarantee of effective and timely implementation, the recommendations are toothless. A failure to implement a legally-binding approach is negligent and works against the Ministry’s mandate to ensure community safety for ALL people!

As a case in point, the 57 recommendations made to ensure tragic deaths similar to that of Soleiman Faqiri at the Central East Correctional Centre in Lindsay, Ont. in 2016 and the 66 recommendations made to prevent deaths similar to those of five men (Timothy Anderson, Murray Balogh, David Cowe, Michael Croft and Jahrell Lungs) at the Niagara Detention Centre between 2018-2022, should be made legally-binding without delay.

All recommendations are potentially lifesaving actions consistent with the UN Standard Minimum Rules for the Treatment of Prisoners, which Canada committed to in 1975. We are requesting that the Ministry of the Solicitor General fulfill its longstanding commitment and obligation to implement these internationally recognized standards.

Examples of non-binding recommendations:

• Access to naloxone.
• Monitoring patients at risk of overdosing.
• Adoption of harm-reduction principles.
• 24-hour nursing services.
• Abandonment of zero-tolerance policies for drug use.
• Better information sharing between community mental health providers and healthcare staff in corrections.
• Implementation of evidence-based integrated mental healthcare pathways between hospitals, correctional facilities and community-based mental health service.
• Establishing formalized partnerships with community mental health agencies to be able to provide mental health services and resources within correctional facilities.
• Take immediate steps to make sure anyone suffering an acute mental health crisis in custody is admitted to hospital for assessment and, where appropriate, treatment.
• Adopt a principle of equivalence so that those in custody receive equal quality health care as they would outside.
• Develop a committee to ensure the inquest’s recommendations are properly considered and any responses fully reported on.
• Establish an independent provincial corrections inspectorate with the power to investigate individual and systemic complaints in correctional facilities.

How many more Faqiri’s, Anderson’s, Balogh’s, Cowe’s, Croft’s, Lungs’s and Cusano’s will there be? Act now and use your power as the Solicitor General to make all recommendations – past and present – legally-binding.

Thank you for your attention to this pressing issue. We look forward to your response.