The territorySA国际影视传媒檚 justice minister says work is being done to ensure a SA国际影视传媒渄isturbingSA国际影视传媒� period of incarceration doesnSA国际影视传媒檛 happen again.

Addressing the Legislative Assembly Wednesday, Minister of Justice Caroline Wawzonek confirmed a CKLB media report that a woman in remand custody was held in cells for 11 days and 10 nights late last year.

Remanded inmates are temporarily placed in custody pending a trial or sentencing. They make up the majority of all inmates in custody in NWT jails.

Remanded inmates are usually housed in one of the territorySA国际影视传媒檚 three jails, not cells. At YellowknifeSA国际影视传媒檚 North Slave Correctional Complex (NSCC), NWTSA国际影视传媒檚 largest jail, there are four spots reserved for female inmates. Those four spots, said Wawzonek, were full in late December of last year.

SA国际影视传媒淯sually (the woman) would then be transported to Fort Smith (Correctional Complex) during remand,SA国际影视传媒� said Wawzonek. SA国际影视传媒淯nfortunately, on this occasion, despite the efforts of the and Corrections Service, that wasnSA国际影视传媒檛 possible.SA国际影视传媒�

It wasnSA国际影视传媒檛 possible, the minister said, because the woman had four scheduled court appearances in Yellowknife. and the Corrections Service were unable to coordinate flights to Fort Smith.

Long stay in cells SA国际影视传媒榙isturbingSA国际影视传媒� says MLA

Describing the prolonged stay in cells as SA国际影视传媒渄isturbing,SA国际影视传媒� Julie Green, MLA for Yellowknife Centre, questioned Wawzonek about the conditions of cells, and what amenities the woman was provided during her 11-day stay at the detachment.

SA国际影视传媒� detachment cells are simply not designed for a stay past a very short (time). A day, two days at the most,SA国际影视传媒� the minister replied.

Wawzonek, who stressed Mounties are SA国际影视传媒渘ot corrections officers,SA国际影视传媒� said the amenities offered at cells are limited compared to those offered at correctional facilities in the territory, despite the best efforts from to accommodate the needs of those in custody.

SA国际影视传媒淭here wonSA国际影视传媒檛 be mattresses. There wonSA国际影视传媒檛 be blankets. There would not be any kind of entertainment,SA国际影视传媒� said Wawzonek.

SA国际影视传媒淎t the end of the day, ( cells) are not suitable for an extended period of time.SA国际影视传媒�

In an email to SA国际影视传媒, Yellowknife spokesperson Julie Plourde said the woman in question was provided with SA国际影视传媒渙ut-of-cell time, blankets, a mattress, customized meals, and reading material.SA国际影视传媒�

For safety reasons, the lights in cells are always kept on.

Addressing the conditions of cells Wednesday, Wawzonek said lights could be SA国际影视传媒渢urned down,SA国际影视传媒� but added there are no windows in the cells.

Yellowknife say the womanSA国际影视传媒檚 long stay in cells wasnSA国际影视传媒檛 SA国际影视传媒渋deal,SA国际影视传媒� and not SA国际影视传媒渟omething the wished for,SA国际影视传媒� but that it arose from a lack of availability for flights to Fort Smith, the womanSA国际影视传媒檚 multiple court appearances in Yellowknife and the fact NSCC had reached its capacity for female inmates at the jail.

According to Plourde, the womanSA国际影视传媒檚 first court appearance was on Dec. 28. Three more appearances followed, and she was released following a show cause hearing on Jan. 6, stated Plourde.

SA国际影视传媒� tried to find flights to send her to Fort Smith Correctional facility, but could not find suitable flights to ensure her presence in court, such as flights that would allow proper space for proper police escort, as well as flights that would allow the prisoner to respect her court appearances' schedule,SA国际影视传媒� stated Plourde.

She added worked with partners to SA国际影视传媒渕inimize the womanSA国际影视传媒檚 length of stay,SA国际影视传媒� but that statutory holidays for GNWT employees presented additional challenges.

Yellowknife stressed that its cells are used to supplement the needs of existing facilities.

SA国际影视传媒淭he court decides who will be remanded, not the ," states Plourde.

SA国际影视传媒淭he is only one partner in this judicial process."

Under the territorySA国际影视传媒檚 Corrections Act, cells are designated as a SA国际影视传媒減lace of detention.SA国际影视传媒�

While Yellowknife acknowledges cells do not provide the same level of services found in correctional facilities, they say officers "cared for (the woman's) well-being and safety," during her 11-day stay.

Minister to encourage, improve access to video court appearances 

To ensure an inmate SA国际影视传媒渄oesnSA国际影视传媒檛 have to spend that kind of extended time in the facilities of the ,SA国际影视传媒� Wawzonek said recurrences can be avoided by encouraging and improving access to video appearances.

Wawzonek said there's no evidence to suggest the woman's experience is a "consistent problem" within the territory's justice system.

In 2016, Judge Robert Gorin ruled a womanSA国际影视传媒檚 Charter rights had been violated after she was housed in cells for 12 days. Gorin ruled the woman faced discrimination on the basis of her gender. She was under constant video surveillance, even when using the toilet in her cell SA国际影视传媒� harsh conditions similar to those experiences by inmates solitary confinement, said Gorin.

SA国际影视传媒淚 point out that the problem with women being held in police cells in Yellowknife for unacceptably long periods of time is not a new one. It existed prior to my appointment as a judge over 11 years ago and has recurred on a regular and sometimes frequent basis since that time,SA国际影视传媒� said Gorin in 2016.