The West Coast Prison Justice Society / Prisoners’ Legal Services, represented by Alina Chekh, John Trueman, and Danielle Wierenga of Allen / McMillan Litigation Counsel, will be at the Supreme Court of Canada on May 13, 2025.
The appeal, Frank Dorsey and Ghassan Salah v. Attorney General of Canada, asks whether the ancient writ of habeas corpus should be available to incarcerated persons who have been wrongfully denied reclassification and transfer to a lower security level. The West Coast Prison Justice Society was granted leave to intervene to explain the impact the court’s decision will have on prisoners in maximum security institutions.
In his oral submissions to the Court, John will explain how a wrongful reclassification and transfer decision is as impactful — and as illegal — as wrongful imprisonment itself, and habeas corpus provides a timely, accessible, and effective remedy for such injustices.
The Supreme Court of Canada’s hearing on May 13 will be webcast live.
The Board of Directors of West Coast Prison Justice Society is delighted to announce the appointment of Nicole Kief as Executive Director of Prisoners’ Legal Services (PLS). Nicole joined PLS eight years ago, and has held roles including Legal Advocate, Senior Legal Advocate, Policy Director and most recently Interim Executive Director. She has been a driving force behind the expansion of legal services to address health care and human rights of people in prison and she has worked collaboratively to enhance the organization’s ability to integrate litigation and advocacy and to advance systemic, anti-carceral change. The Hiring Committee and the Board are deeply impressed with Nicole’s commitment to collaborative leadership and to ensuring that the work of PLS is impactful for clients, consistent with core values, and sustainable for staff.
We are indebted to Jennifer Metcalfe who served as Executive Director of PLS for 16 years, working tirelessly with staff and the broader prison law community to advance the rights of incarcerated people, some of the most marginalized members of our communities. During her time at PLS, the organization expanded its programs, services, and advocacy. This has involved enhancing programs under the primary mandate to provide legal services to people incarcerated in British Columbia, as well as providing leadership to support advocacy and decarceration at the national and international levels. Jen leaves a legacy at PLS of which she can be proud and one we can all build upon.
Michael Jackson K.C.
President, West Coast Prison Justice Society
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About us: West Coast Prison Justice Society is a non-profit society that operates Prisoners’ Legal Services, with support from Legal Aid BC and the Law Foundation of British Columbia. PLS provides legal assistance to people in federal and provincial prisons in British Columbia. We also engage in strategic litigation and advocacy on the prison justice issues brought forward by our clients to achieve systemic, anti-carceral change. We are a team of lawyers and non-lawyers who believe that no one is disposable, and who work alongside and in solidarity with incarcerated people. We witness some of the harshest forms of state violence and use the legal system’s tools to protect our clients from the abuses and degradations of prison.
Prisoners’ Legal Services is looking for passionate, problem solving, empathetic and dedicated advocate for the rights of people in prison.
We are a small non-profit society providing legal services to people in federal and provincial prison in the province of British Columbia. Our office is in Burnaby, BC.
The legal advocate position involves providing advocacy regarding prison legal issues involving liberty rights, health care and human rights. This work is primarily done by telephone, fax and email. Advocacy on behalf of people in prison may involve summary advice, informal advocacy, providing written submissions and personal representation at tribunals.
This position will involve working closely with our Human Rights and Health Care staff lawyer and policy director, assisting with human rights litigation and settlement implementation, drafting grievances and complaints to professional medical regulatory bodies on behalf of people in prison and working on access to information.
The ideal candidate will be able to identify systemic issues and investigate human rights abuses. They will have excellent attention to detail.
Legal advocates have conduct of client files and are responsible for ensuring day-to-day tasks are scheduled and performed within relevant timeframes. The job involves reviewing and determining the legal merit of cases and determining the level of service to be provided. Legal advocates work under the supervision of a lawyer.
Legal advocates have a great deal of contact with people in prison, prison administrators and parole authorities.
This position may require frequent travel to prisons in the Lower Mainland and Fraser Valley. Access to a vehicle is essential. A CPIC clearance is required to visit prisons.
Basic Qualifications:
Post-secondary education in Law, Criminology, Social Work, Paralegal training or equivalent;
Strong verbal, written and interviewing skills; and
Experience in a legal environment or advocacy an asset.
Skills and Abilities
ability to be a strong advocate for disadvantaged clients, including those with low income, those with mental health disabilities, and those whose first language is not English;
ability to work well with others in a team setting;
ability to negotiate and find creative solutions to prisoners’ legal problems;
ability to exercise excellent judgment in matters of ethics and confidentiality;
ability to identify systemic issues and think strategically;
must have excellent communication and interpersonal skills, in particular in dealing with people in prison, lawyers, and prison and parole officials;
must be familiar with general software applications (e.g. MS Word, Outlook);
must be willing and prepared to assist those convicted of various crimes in a non-judgmental way; and
second language or demonstrated awareness of cultural diversity an asset.
Salary: $60,975 Closing date: August 19, 2024 Start date: ASAP
Interested applicants should submit a covering letter and résumé outlining how their qualifications meet the position requirements to:
We are committed to upholding the values of equity, diversity and inclusion and we welcome and encourage applications from members of groups who experience barriers to equity.
On February 28, the Union of BC Indian Chiefs, the BC First Nations Justice Council, the First Nations Summit and Prisoners’ Legal Services wrote to the Chief Coroner to request an inquest into the death of Kendal Campeau, of the Yellow Quill First Nation, who passed away while in the custody of the Correctional Service Canada. Mr. Campeau reported horrendous abuse in custody. We hope an inquest into his death will help to draw attention to the urgent need for alternatives to prison for Indigenous people that are culturally safe and based on Indigenous law.
Click here to read the letter requesting an inquest.
Click here to read a news release regarding PLS’ calls for CSC to consider systemic abuse of Indigenous people in its investigation into Mr. Campeau’s death.
Victoria, BC (Lək̓ʷəŋən traditional territories) – From Monday, February 12 until Thursday, February 15, 2024 the Canadian Human Rights Tribunal will hear the case of Nick Dinardo (they/them), a formerly incarcerated Two-Spirit and transfeminine member of the Piapot First Nation. Mx. Dinardo will argue that Correctional Service Canada (“CSC”) discriminated against them on the basis of race, religion, gender identity, and disability during their time in federal prison.
While Mx. Dinardo was in prison, correctional officers used violent force against them over 45 times. These uses of force included breaking their arm, pepper spraying them when they self-harmed, and shooting them with a rubber bullet in the face. The video footage of officers breaking their arm, which was obtained through a Privacy Act request, is available here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k4fceEaLZh8&t=5s. Mx. Dinardo also spent extended periods isolated in the Structured Intervention Unit, for periods as long as 181 consecutive days.
Further, Mx. Dinardo faced significant harassment and abuse as a transfeminine person incarcerated in prisons designated for men. CSC repeatedly refused Mx. Dinardo’s requests to transfer to prisons designated for women. In their case, Mx. Dinardo is seeking systemic remedies to improve the lives of gender diverse people and people with disabilities in prison.
Jennifer Metcalfe, Executive Director of Prisoners’ Legal Services, says: “Mx. Dinardo’s treatment in federal prison is a national disgrace. We are inspired by their courage to take on CSC and fight for change.”
Nicole Kief, Policy Director of Prisoners’ Legal Services, says: “No one should suffer the kinds of indignities and abuses that Mx. Dinardo experienced in prison. The injustices raised in this case are systemic, and CSC must change its policies to comply with the Canadian Human Rights Act.”
For details on how to observe the hearing, please contact the CHRT:
Mx. Dinardo is represented by David Taylor, Christopher Trivisonno, and Maritza Woel of Conway Baxter Wilson LLP and Jessica Magonet of Prisoners’ Legal Services.
[Warning, this post includes graphic violence that may be disturbing to some readers/viewers.]
Unceded Coast Salish Territories (Burnaby, British Columbia) – Today, Nicholas Dinardo, a Two-Spirit Indigenous person in federal custody, makes public a video of Correctional Service Canada (CSC) officers breaking their arm in an excessive use of force. You can watch the video here (there is no audio to the video):
Mx. Dinardo obtained this and other use of force videos after filing Privacy Act requests for them, and taking CSC to Federal Court when they failed to release them well after the expiry of legislative time limits.
The video depicts an incident from May 30, 2021 at Port-Cartier Institution, where guards broke Mx. Dinardo’s arm by twisting it violently behind their back, after kicking and pushing them into their cell. Mx. Dinardo did not receive an X-ray until several days after this incident, which confirmed their arm was broken. CSC’s own internal review of this incident characterized this force as unnecessary and disproportionate. CSC Commissioner Anne Kelly has convened a National Board of Investigation to investigate this incident.
Throughout Mx. Dinardo’s imprisonment, CSC officers have repeatedly used force against them. Mx. Dinardo has been attempting to obtain the videos depicting these incidents for years, placing their first Privacy Act request for use of force records in December 2019. In September 2022, they filed lawsuits in Federal Court to force CSC to grant access to their personal information, arguing that CSC’s delays and refusals have violated their rights under the Privacy Act and the Charter.
Mx. Dinardo has also filed two human rights complaints against CSC for discriminating against them on the basis of their Indigenous identity, gender identity, religion, and mental disability. These complaints are ongoing.
Mx. Dinardo says: “I am relieved to finally have these videos so the world can see the violence and injustice I have experienced in prison. But the struggle is far from over. CSC has only released a fraction of the records I requested and am entitled to. Our court case continues.”
Jennifer Metcalfe, Executive Director of Prisoners’ Legal Services, says: “Access to information and videos regarding the government’s use of violence against people in prison is essential if we are going to have a prison system based on transparency and accountability. These rare glimpses of state violence behind prison walls should outrage the public.”
Mx. Dinardo is represented in their Federal Court litigation by Adam Goldenberg and Connor Bildfell of McCarthy Tétrault LLP and Jessica Magonet of Prisoners’ Legal Services.
You can read more about Mx. Dinardo’s Privacy Act case and human rights complaints here:
