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Inmates are expected to butt out on cigarettes at the North Slave Correctional Centre April 1. Critics say there will be little to keep inmates occupied after losing smoking privileges and their library. - NNSL file photo

SOMBA K'E/YELLOWKNIFE - The warden of the North Slave Correctional Centre has something to say about every room, staff member and inmate in the facility.

Eric Kieken, warden of the centre, is a tall man with a deep gravely voice. He said inmates in the centre have access to many more resources than inmates in the communities or down south, as he displays the centre's on-site dental office and medical centre.

Later, at the bottom of a flight of stairs, a young man dressed in an inmate's green shirt holds the door for the warden.

"How's it going, Kieken?" he asks.

"Not bad, man," he replies, turning, with a smile on his face, to say the relationship is far more congenial here too. In the south, no one would even talk to the warden, he said, let alone like that.

However, many in the city are not smiling, after recent cuts at the jail have some wondering if inmates are getting short-changed.

The $50 million centre is not yet five-years-old but is already familiar with the boom and bust nature of the North.

Last May, Premier Floyd Roland, who was then also finance minister, announced in his budget the government would reduce spending.

In numbers provided by the Department of Justice, its budget was cut by $2,371,000 for the 2008- 20009 fiscal year, and another $1,834,000 this year.

Overall, 31 positions were chopped over the two-year period.

"We took a bit of a hit," said Kieken.

The centre lost a training officer and case manager, along with cuts to vacant teacher, program delivery officer and nurse positions. Two vacant deputy warden positions were cut with those responsibilities pooled into existing positions.

Kieken was insistent, however, that programming at the jail - currently filled to its 154-cell capacity - had not been affected by the cuts.

"There is no need for an inmate at NSCC to be idle or bored," he said.

In recent weeks, Yellowknifer has reported the loss of a library and a pending smoking ban as of April 1.

Lydia Bardak, a prisoner advocate with the John Howard Society, said nearly the entire work incentive program had been axed as well.

Inmates were previously able to make $5 a day doing a variety of activities, and money saved could purchase items at the canteen.

"With so many inmates not being in any work programs, they have idle time," said Bardak, wondering what inmates would do with themselves all day if not working.

Kieken said the jail was paying out between $160,000 to $180,000 a year in work incentive pay for everything from getting inmates to go to counselling or programs, or to clean their living areas. He said when reductions were made, that was one of the first areas identified.

When it came down to choosing between supplying drugs for seniors and the basics for single mothers "or do we pay inmates to buy pop and chips, it's an easy decision," he said.

Kieken said inmates are provided the basic necessities and health care supplies.

He said the earned remission program is incentive enough to stay busy. Good and productive behaviour, he said, allows inmates to reduce their sentences by one-third.

Inmates can clean their shared living spaces - or pods - play board games, read books, pursue education through literacy programs, engage in religious services and bible studies.

Justice Minister Jackson Lafferty said in the legislative assembly Monday, the centre delivers family violence, sex offender, substance abuse, pre-trades and other educational programs in a classroom at the jail.

During a brief tour of the facility, Yellowknifer witnessed inmates watching TV or playing cards in their 40-man pods.

A group of about five men were engaged in activities in a computer room, while others made crafts in an arts room. Schedules showed inmates from each pod have one block of gymnasium time and program workshop available to them each day, with some special activities littered in along the week.

Kam Lake MLA Dave Ramsay brought up concerns he had with the centre in the legislative assembly Monday.

He wanted to know why there were no daily mental health services offered after two clinical psychologist positions were cut.

"It seems like we are short-changing the rehabilitation of inmates at North Slave Correctional Centre," he said.

Kieken said there is one clinical psychologist working at the young offenders facility, which connects to the adult facility and shares the gym and kitchen space.

"The other position is vacant," he said.

He hoped to have the second position filled in the near future, but said it is difficult recruiting psychologists to the North.

There is a part-time mental health nurse, along with an aboriginal liaison program officer who was there to talk with inmates who needed help.

Kieken said an inmate advisory committee elected from amongst the inmate population puts forth ideas and suggestions for programs and activities, along with basic concerns from the population.

"They know what can and cannot be achieved," he said, adding he judges the jail's mood from their suggestions.