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COs demonstrate outside Mitchell nomination meeting

Ontario Public Service: Save our Jails!! Build a Strong Community

Bellmore – Correctional officers from Owen Sound and Walkerton demonstrated outside of MPP Carol Mitchell’s nomination meeting Thursday and they discovered plenty of local Liberals support their campaign to stop a proposal to shut jails in Grey and Bruce counties.

“I think we had a huge impact on lots of people who came to her nomination meeting,” said Local 224 president Paul Johnstone, who represents correctional officers and support staff at Owen Sound jail. “Lots of them were signing our petition to keep the jails open and said they would be talking to Mitchell herself to reverse the closure plan.”

Johnstone estimated that about 75 Liberals attended the nomination meeting in Bellmore.

Mitchell, who represents the riding of Huron-Bruce where the Walkerton jail is located, has come under tremendous pressure to persuade the provincial government to suspend the closures pending the results of a full public review. The decision to close the two jails was announced in the March 29 budget without any consultation with local groups who will be affected by the shut down.