聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 It was a statement heard across Saskatchewan that many people cheered. When addressing the approximately 115 inmates at Regina Correctional Centre who refused to eat because of the quality of their food, Premier Brad Wall said, 鈥淚f you really don鈥檛 like the prison food, there鈥檚 one way to avoid it, and that鈥檚 don鈥檛 go to prison.鈥�
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 Boom; if it were a rap battle, Wall would have dropped the mic at that moment and walked away.
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 Prior to making the statement that if you don鈥檛 like prison food then stay out of prison, Wall also said, 鈥� I would just say that we鈥檙e always going to want to make sure that any food that鈥檚 provided in the public system to anyone is as high quality as it can be and certainly safe. We need to be very careful about that.鈥�
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 The food has passed food safety inspections and is fine to eat, it鈥檚 just not very good. But, really鈥� what do you expect in prison? It鈥檚 not a five star hotel and restaurant, it鈥檚 prison. A photo of one of the breakfasts I came across in one of the news articles didn鈥檛 look too terrible. It wasn鈥檛 just slop, there was what looked like coleslaw, cold cuts, brown bread with peanut and jam spread, and potato salad.
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 Although it鈥檚 not the healthiest meal in the world, it鈥檚 food. In fact you hear stories during the winter about homeless people who commit crimes just to have a warm place to stay and food to eat, even if it鈥檚 not completely in line with the Canadian Food Guide鈥檚 suggestions. I鈥檓 sure a hungry kid whose family is struggling would love to be given that tray for free at school, even if it鈥檚 not the most delicious food in the world it is at least nourishment which not everyone is fortunate enough to have.
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 Obviously people have rights, even if they are incarcerated, but they are limited when behind bars and not having choice in food is one of those limited rights. You鈥檙e needs are met, but it might not be what you wanted.
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 Wall鈥檚 comment, however, did strike a chord with some people including Susan Delanoy, the executive director of the Elizabeth Fry Society Saskatchewan, who said, 鈥淚 think everyone needs to understand the issues more deeply and to treat prisoners with basic human decency.鈥�
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 So, is serving slightly undercooked eggs, partially frozen cold cuts, and bread in a corrections centre something that is infringing upon prisoners rights to basic human decency or is it a non-issue? Wall responded to it like a non-issue and seemed to be perturbed that inmates are upset with the food they are being served when the same company holds contracts with places such as the University of Regina as well. While others say that basic human decency is being thrown out the window with reactions to the situation like Wall鈥檚. What do you think?
