Iqaluit (Oct 06/03) - Mikidjuk Utye doesn't have much freedom. He has been in remand on fraud charges since May 2003 at the Baffin Correctional Centre (BCC).

Monica Ittusardjuat at Nunavut Tunngavik Inc. is not surprised to hear complaints coming from inside BCC. - Kathleen Lippa/NNSL photo

But the walls of justice do not keep him from speaking out when he sees things he thinks are wrong.

He said he had his phone privileges cut off when he complained about unsanitary conditions at the jail back in June.

He is prepared to go into "the hole" (isolation) once again for pointing his finger now at the way the centre is currently staffed.

Utye feels the mainly Inuit population inside the jail are painfully misunderstood by the mostly white correctional staff.

In the centre Inuit are "treated like dogs," he said.

"I am appalled by the way Inuit offenders are treated at the Baffin Correctional facility," he told News/North last Tuesday.

"All the top level management are southern hires," he said. "That means the BCC program is based on a Southern prison format which is very authoritative and centers on crowd control."

There is no respect for Inuit culture inside the BCC, he said.

"We get three meals a day. I have never seen traditional food being served."

Programs like Alcoholics Anonymous offered there are created by people in the South, he said, and many Inuit cannot relate.

"Inuit culture is unique and different from southern culture," he said.

"Inuit way of behaviour modification differs from BCC's programming."

News/North approached Ron McCormick, director of corrections and community justice for Nunavut, during a break at the corrections conference being held in Iqaluit Oct. 1-3, about Utye's complaints.

McCormick defended the current state of the BCC after hearing some of the inmate's comments.

"We have a number of Inuit staff. We have an elder on staff, we have Inuit land program officers that deal with these offenders all the time.

"I would love to have the whole facility staffed by Inuit staff," he said. "The problem is it's a facility that's open 24 hours a day, seven days a week. We don't have the Inuit staff to do that. But we have certainly a number of Inuit staff in key positions, such as the elder, such as correctional supervisors."

McCormick went on to say he would like more Inuit facilitators at BCC.

"We would like to offer more culturally-relevant programs," he said.

Utye is a known complainer, McCormick noted.

"There are certain offenders who will complain about everything, and there are other ones that think things are fine," he said.

When asked if Utye would be disciplined for speaking to the media, McCormick's reply was: "No, because he does it all the time."

McCormick added that in the past, "a lot of things (Utye) raised were not founded. The health department had to check certain things out because of complaints, and they were unfounded."

But according to health officials, Utye's concerns were right on the money.

In June health inspectors investigated many of Utye's complaints and found "sanitation issues" in the kitchen and dining room areas, as well as serious ventilation problems.

"And they were told we'd be back," said Don Ellis, director of population health.

Ellis said the health department was scheduled to return to BCC for further checks this month, but have been delayed due to a lack of staff.

When McCormick learned the health centre had been contacted for this article, he acknowledged: "There were dirty vents and so on... And any concerns that were raised were rectified," McCormick said, adding quickly, "I'm sure the health department could go into your home and find things wrong, too."

Monica Ittusardjuat, community wellness co-ordinator for Nunavut Tunngavik Inc. (NTI), was not surprised by Utye's comments, especially his view that Inuit in the BCC are "treated like dogs."

She has heard these concerns voiced before. As a former justice co-ordinator, Ittusardjuat has tried to make a difference.

She has been part of committees which have submitted recommendations -- some calling for more healing programs and training for correctional officers -- to improve life inside Nunavut's correctional facility.

Utye's letter indicates to her there is still a lot of work to be done.

"When you're punishing offenders, they'll fight back," she said softly.

"It would help if there were more Inuit workers there, and they talked to people in their own language and if people were more respectful and they could eat their own food."

Reprimanded again?

Utye spoke to News/North again Friday, two days after McCormick was confronted about the inmate's allegations.

Utye said he was "in big trouble" for speaking to the media. He was almost certain he would be put into isolation again.

The last time he was punished he said his phone privileges were cut off and he was kept indoors 23 hours a day. The chance of that happening again did not change his mind about speaking out.

"I don't care, they can't do anything to me," he said.

Andrea Smith, warden at the BCC did not return phone calls last week.

Justice Minister Paul Okalik was at a conference in Quebec and not available for comment.