Jerry Agar, in his article of 17 February, 2025 in the Toronto Sun continues the discussion on Premier Doug Ford’s comments recently for his supposed support of capital punishment:
“Starting in 2020, Research Co. and Glacier Media research shows majorities in every region side with the return of capital punishment. It’s 57% in Ontario and 62% in Saskatchewan and Manitoba”.
One of the comments contained in that article sums up the feelings of many Canadians:
“Experts have done extensive research and analysis using U.S. data since it was not available here in Canada. Result: 0% of those who receive the death penalty re-offend”.
Figure1: South Carolina’s guest seating: electric chair (right) and firing squad chair
Now it may be a given that the death penalty lacks appeal (literally) and that many are against it due to the possibility of an erroneous conviction and sentencing (it happens).
As our prison system is overwhelmed with customers and the conditions in which we place inmates are atrocious, it begs the question: “what to do with them”.
Life in prison in Canada is held by most Canadians to mean free room and board and entertainment inside a communal setting with lots to do to keep busy. Nothing could be further from the truth. Anyone who has ever been inside a Federal corrections institute can attest to this. Hard time is hard, very hard!
Personally my exposure to such an abode took place at the Federal Penitentiary at Prince Albert, Saskatchewan having delivered several guests to the registration desk within and trust me, it was not a Vrbo holiday location.
So my approach to “what to do with them” is somewhat simple. In the Philippines it is referred to as “reculsion perpetua”. You go away and never come back! But, this is Canada and it seems just so un Canadian to make people disappear.
Canada is replete with various isolated locations which could be utilized as “corrections facilities” for serious offenders. We also need to completely re-vamp our penal system for both serious and non-serious crimes.
Ah, you say, he is thinking of Alexander Solzhenitsyn’s description of life in the Gulag Archipelago. Well, sort of. First the concept of “corrections” and “life in prison” are subjective to most. Can you really correct someone and is it humane to lock them up for life? Neither may be true.
But isolation facilities have certain benefits. You don’t need too many guards as such. No one escapes (just ask those in Prince Albert in winter). They can be humane (perhaps only one room mate), complete with training programs, work programs (free shovels), comfortable living quarters (no segregation units), counselling programs, recreational programs (limited weight lifting), health care that works (male nurses), yes, I know; visitation rights, etc. and last, but not least, release when elderly (age to be negotiated) pending reconciliation with the victims relatives should they still be alive.
Perhaps 57% in Ontario and 62% in Saskatchewan and Manitoba may just agree with such a proposal. It may just free up housing spaces in the facilities in the south.