HOW MANY MORE DEATHS?

How many prisoners have died in Canadian jails? How many have died in Ontario jails? How many young people have died in custody in this province? Meanwhile right here in Waterloo Region we are not exempt. The December 6, 2017 Waterloo Region Record published a brief story about the suicide death of 30 year old Terry Baker. She just like Ashley Smith died in a segregation unit at Kitchener's Grand Valley Institution for Women.

Ms. Baker died six months to the day before it became public knowledge in the Record. Why? The Ministry of Community safety and Correctional services recently announced that an inquest will be held into her death. Is this why they released the news of her death to the Record? In other words if this provincial Ministry had decided not to hold an inquest would the public have been informed at all that she had died?

Unlike Ashley Smith, Ms. Baker had a serious conviction on her record. Ashley Smith kept getting internal charges and extensions put on her release date. What a system. Similar to Ashley Smith, Ms Baker had a history of mental problems. Is this our society's solution to mental illness? Lock them up, throw them in isolation and then bury them? It's starting to look that way.