Cory Cardinal was released from the Saskatoon Provincial Correctional Centre in April and at that time he said his work calling for better conditions within Saskatchewan's correctional system would continue.
Sutherland-Kayseas has been on remand since January 2020. She’s currently facing murder charges in connection to the death of Sheena Marie Billete in La Ronge, as well as Dylan Chretien in Prince Albert. While the charges are very serious, Sutherland-Kayseas has not been convicted and has had at least one pre-trial date pushed back due to COVID.
“I’m really worried and even through written correspondence, they’ve sent my letters back to me,” Kayseas said. “We don’t have any way of communicating and it’s frustrating and it’s scary because I don’t know what’s going on. Pine Grove can be a dangerous place.”
Prince Albert Daily Herald
Cory Cardinal, right, and Sherri Maier demonstrated outside Pine Grove on April 13 to appeal for better conditions for the inmates inside. (Peter Lozinski/Daily Herald)
Advocates travelled to Pine Grove Institution in Prince Albert Tuesday to show solidarity with a group of women prisoners on a hunger strike calling for better conditions.
Pine Grove is Saskatchewan’s only women’s prison.
Women at the institution began a hunger strike over a week ago and said they wanted changes to address concerns about reduced access to medical care and inadequate rehabilitative programs.
According to the province, some of the participating inmates have “expressed complaints on a number of issues,” including court delays caused by the pandemic, COVID restrictions within the jail, gang placements and canteen selection.
PRINCE ALBERT A small group gathered outside of Pine Grove Correctional Centre on Tuesday to show support for inmates on hunger strike. Pine Grove, located in Prince Albert, is the only correctional facility for women in Saskatchewan. The demonstration was organized by Cory Cardinal, who founded the advocacy group Inmates 4 Humane Conditions, and Sherri Maier of Beyond Prison Walls Canada. Cardinal has continued to advocate for inmates behind bars at the Saskatoon Correctional Centre. He was released last week. “We’re tired of getting swept under the rug. We’re tired of suffering. We’re tired of being labelled. We’re tired of just being dehumanized,” he said.