Ontario's Jails: NDP Bill Seeks Real Reform

0:00It's April 30th. This is Canada News Today, powered by AI. I'm Corey with the story. Ontario's jails are facing serious issues like violence, overcrowding, and poor mental health care. But a key law from 2018 meant to fix it. All is still sitting unused. The new Democratic Party is stepping up with a new bill to force the province to actually put that Correctional Services Transformation Act into. Action on a clear timeline. This private member's bill from NDP, Critic Kristen Wong-Tam, would also beef up the Inspector General Row that's been created but never started. It gives the washed up power to demand info from top officials, protect whistleblowers reporting abuses, and require online updates on jail populations. Across Ontario's 25 facilities, judges have been slamming the conditions as inhumane, with one pointing out long lockdowns, cutting off fresh air, visits, and rehab programs, stuff. That would outrage us if it happened abroad. Nearly 80% of inmates are awaiting trial

1:02and presumed innocent, yet the system's broken enough to influence lighter sentences. The original law aimed to limit segregation, set living standards, and boost care, but the four government-ledded laps. Now they're planning over 1,000 new beds by 2032, but experts like Howard Saipers call that a fool's fix, you can build your way. Out of these problems without real accountability. Families like the Fakiris, hit hard by the 2016 death of Solomon and custody, are backing this push hard. With calls growing louder for oversight and change, this bill could finally spark the reforms Ontario's corrections need to rebuild trust and save. Lives.