Justice and Public Safety
July 31, 2017
Minister Parsons Responds to Requests to Release Three Labrador Inmates at HMP
The Government of Newfoundland and Labrador fully appreciates that people have legitimate concerns with the Muskrat Falls project. Our government supports the right to lawful and peaceful protest however once the level of protest exceeds the limits laid out in the law, we must respect judicial decisions.
The judiciary is completely independent of the legislative and executive branches of government. It is fundamental to this independence that the judiciary and judicial system are not subject to political interference and are neither answerable to nor subject to instruction from the Attorney General in the conduct of proceedings before it. The court process is in place to ensure everyone has fair access to justice. We must respect our democratic system and the rule of law and allow the process to proceed without political interference.
The safety and well-being of inmates and correctional staff in the province’s facilities is a top priority. It is also our priority to ensure all inmates have access to cultural supports. Inmates are assessed and transferred based on criteria such as security requirements, medical issues, programming needs, court dates, etc. Highly trained staff with expertise in care of incarcerated persons conduct the assessments. As Minister and Attorney General, I am not involved in the assessment and decision to transfer an inmate.
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Media contact
Amy Stoodley
Justice and Public Safety
709-729-5211, 693-7242
amystoodley@gov.nl.ca
2017 07 31 9:10 a.m.