On April 24th, Pacific Regional President Derek Chin and Regional Vice President John Randle met up with Member of Parliament Ed Fast of Abbotsford, British Columbia.
The main topic of discussions and concerns was the Prison Needle Exchange Program within our institutions.
The Conservative MP could not comprehend nor support the program as not only is it a safety issue for everyone within the jail as needles could be fashioned as a “weapon” but the program poses a significant challenge for correctional officers to do their jobs and turn a blind eye to substance abuse within the walls. Other topics discussed were the concerns we had of segregation and the Phoenix Pay System.
We again thank MP Ed Fast for his time speaking with us.