Sask. Penitentiary medium security unit under lockdown due to COVID-19 cases

PRINCE ALBERT -- Medium security inmate Michael Wright says some of the information given to the public doesn’t offer a full picture of what is happening inside of Saskatchewan Penitentiary during the pandemic.

He says inmates who have tested positive are not being moved to an isolated range. He wants more measure in place to keep the virus from spreading.

“They had 10 months to prepare for this. They saw what was happened in Mission (a British Columbia penitentiary) but this is what’s happening. Basically they lied,” said Wright.

According to Correctional Services Canada (CSC), as of Dec. 21, 64 inmates have tested positive for COVID-19 at Saskatchewan Penitentiary. All of these inmates are in the medium security unit. There are seven active cases of COVID-19 among staff. These staff members are self-isolating at home. 

Wright said currently on his range, one to two inmates are allowed out of their cells at a time during the day for 20 minutes to shower and call family. 

He says inmates should be allowed to put poly-plastic up across the bars of their cells to block airborne particles. He would also like infected inmates fed last as to not contaminate the food of other inmates.

“At the end of the day it’s my life and my health,” said Wright. He says guards have gowns, face shield, taped gloves and masks and the inmates have only been provided masks. Inmates also don’t have many cleaning supplies at present.

Wright said he believes he’s been fortunate not to get COVID-19. He has been tested twice by staff. CSC confirmed that they have offered rapid testing to all inmates and staff at the prison.

Krystle Lapointe’s boyfriend Christopher Yetman is serving a sentence in medium security and says she’s concerned that his health is at risk with reports of COVID-19 in the federal Prince Albert prison.

“When you see the numbers go up in the newspaper, you’re sitting there waiting for that call wondering is he one of those numbers,” said Lapointe.

She claims the protocols outlined on the CSC website are not being followed and COVID-positive inmates are still being housed on the range and are let out of their cells to shower and move in areas where the rest of the inmates go.

“I feel like it’s a big lie. Like don’t put it on there if you aren’t going to follow it,” said Lapointe.

For the last 10 days, Yetman has only been allowed to call family every second day when he used to call her three times a day.

“It also states that ‘inmates can maintain family support by having video calls,’ but every two days they have half an hour to shower, and phone and that isn’t a lot of time,” said Lapointe. She adds the video call room has been closed on Yetman’s unit.

Correctional Services Canada declined an interview but responded to some of the concerns raised by inmates and their families with a statement. 

“CSC has put in place extensive infection prevention and control measures at all of its sites. These include mandatory masks for inmates and staff, physical distancing measures, active health screening of anyone entering our institutions (including temperature checks), and increased cleaning and disinfection at sites.”

“CSC has modified routines at the prison to promote proper distancing and reduce possible transmission within different ranges. Visitors to some areas are suspended to limit comings and goings from our sites.”

Lapointe says Yetman is also frustrated with the temporary cancellation of programs and drug courses that inmates need to take to apply for parole or transfer to a minimum security facility. Due to the lack of programs, Yetman has had to push back a parole hearing until May 2021.

“He was supposed to go for parole in January, but because of COVID, the class needs to go for parole, he can’t get into because they stopped running it,” said Lapointe. “The things that they need to do get do to get down to minimum security or change the outcome of things that aren’t able to do at this point.”

CSC says transfers still occur between CSC institutions as well as admissions from provincial correctional centres and those inmates isolate for 14 days upon admission on a separate unit within the institution. 

“We will continue to monitor this evolving situation close and work with our partners, staff and inmates to enhance and adapt our approach, as needed,” said CSC.

Saskatchewan Penitentiary has been dealing with rise in COVID-19 cases since Dec. 14 when 22 inmates tested positive for the disease.