Ombudsman to investigate Ontario's response to incident at Maplehurst Correctional Complex Français
TORONTO, June 9, 2025 /CNW/ - Ontario Ombudsman Paul Dubé today announced a new investigation into the Ministry of the Solicitor General's response to a December 2023 incident at Maplehurst Correctional Complex, due to significant public concerns about transparency, accountability and inmates' rights.
The incident involved Maplehurst's Institutional Crisis Intervention Team (ICIT), and its response to an assault on a correctional officer at the complex in Halton Region, which houses nearly 1,500 inmates in medium and maximum security.
"Several inmates and members of the public have contacted us to express concerns about the treatment of inmates by the ICIT over two days in December 2023," Mr. Dubé said. "The Ministry has already investigated the incident. What my investigation will cover is the steps the Ministry took as a result, and what it is doing to make sure something like this does not happen again."
During the two days that ICIT correctional officers were deployed at Maplehurst, inmates in Unit 8 were stripped to their boxer shorts and forced to sit on the floor and face the wall with their wrists zip-tied, while correctional officers in tactical gear patrolled behind them. Some of these inmates have subsequently had their sentences reduced by judges who have raised concerns about this treatment. In one case, the prosecution acknowledged that an inmate's rights under the Charter of Rights and Freedoms were violated during the ICIT incident.
"When an incident occurs in an Ontario correctional facility that impacts the administration of justice and the rights of inmates, it is imperative that we understand why it happened and what is being done to ensure that it does not recur," the Ombudsman said.
The Ombudsman's Office receives thousands of complaints related to correctional services every year, and engages actively with the Ministry of the Solicitor General to address these cases and underlying systemic issues. The Ombudsman received some 60 complaints about the ICIT incident at Maplehurst, including from inmates who were directly involved. Now that the Ministry has had the opportunity to complete its internal investigations of this matter, the Ombudsman has determined that an investigation by his Office is warranted in order to ensure transparency and accountability, and adequate safeguards for the future.
The investigation will focus on the Ministry's response to the incident and what safeguards can be put in place to prevent something similar from happening in future. The investigation will not examine personnel or disciplinary matters related to individual correctional staff.
Given the significant public interest in this issue, the Ombudsman has committed to completing the investigation as efficiently as possible. Anyone who has information that they believe may be relevant to the investigation is invited to contact Ombudsman Ontario by filing a confidential complaint form at www.ombudsman.on.ca, by calling 1-800-263-1830 or emailing [email protected].
Media please note: As this investigation is in its early stages, the Ombudsman will not be available to discuss it publicly.
About Ombudsman Ontario: The Ombudsman, established in 1975 to help protect the rights of all Ontarians, is an independent and impartial officer of the Legislature. Under the Ombudsman Act, the Ombudsman reviews and resolves complaints and inquiries from the public about provincial government organizations, as well as French language services, child protection services, municipalities, universities and school boards. The Ombudsman's systemic investigations have prompted widespread reforms benefiting millions of people across the province.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
CTV News
12 hours ago
- CTV News
Thailand returns two wounded soldiers to Cambodia but continues to hold 18 of their comrades
In this photo released by Agence Kampuchea Press (AKP), a Cambodian soldier, center, is escorted by Thai soldiers as he arrives at O Smach, Cambodian-Thai border in Oddar Meanchey province, Cambodia, Friday, Aug. 1, 2025. (AKP via AP) PHNOM PENH, Cambodia — Cambodia on Friday welcomed the return of two wounded soldiers who had been captured by the Thai army after the two sides had already implemented a ceasefire to end five days of combat over competing territorial claims. Their repatriation comes amid accusations and bickering over whether either side had targeted civilians and breached the laws of war, and sharp nationalist feuding on social media. The rest of a 20-member group of Cambodian soldiers captured on Tuesday in one of the disputed pockets of land over which the two sides were fighting remain in Thai hands, and Cambodian officials are demanding their release. The two countries have given differing accounts of the circumstances of the capture. Cambodian officials say their soldiers approached the Thai position with friendly intentions to offer post-fighting greetings, while Thai officials said the Cambodians appeared to have hostile intent and entered what Thailand considers its territory, so were taken prisoner. Cambodian Defence Ministry Spokesperson Maly Socheata confirmed that the two wounded soldiers had been handed over at a border checkpoint between Thailand's Surin province and Cambodia's Oddar Meanchey province, and urged the Thai side to promptly repatriate the remaining personnel in accordance with 'international humanitarian law.' Thailand says it has been following international legal procedures and was holding the remaining 18 soldiers until it could investigate their actions. A statement issued Friday by Thailand's 2nd Army Region identified the two repatriated Cambodian soldiers as a sergeant with a broken arm and a gash on his hip, and a second lieutenant who appeared to be suffering from battle fatigue and needed care from his family. It said both men had taken an oath not to engage in further hostilities against Thailand. Neither man nor the others in Thai custody have been made available for interviews by neutral third parties. The Cambodian Human Rights Committee, which is a government agency, released a letter addressed to the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights claiming that the two soldiers had been tortured and denied medical care. The letter, which offered no evidence to back up its claims, demanded among other measures an 'impartial investigation by the United Nations or relevant international bodies' into its allegations. There were other peaceful activities on Friday on both sides of the border as both countries staged tours of the former battle areas for foreign diplomats and other observers, highlighting damage allegedly caused by the other side. The two countries continue to accuse each other of having violated the laws of war with attacks on civilians and the illegal use of weapons. More than three dozen people, civilian and soldiers, were killed in the fighting, which in addition to infantry battles included artillery duels and the firing of truck-mounted rockets by Cambodia, to which Thailand responded with airstrikes. More than 260,000 people in total were displaced from their homes. Under the terms of the ceasefire, military representatives of both sides are supposed to meet next week to iron out details to avoid further clashes. However, the talks are not supposed to cover the competing territorial claims that are at the heart of decades-long tension between the two countries. Partisans of both sides are also waging a war of words online, with Thailand accusing Cambodia of also carrying out malicious hacking. Both countries' professional journalism societies have accused each other of spreading false information and other propaganda. ___ Associated Press writer Jintamas reported from Bangkok. Sopheng Cheang And Jintamas Saksornchai, The Associated Press
Globe and Mail
a day ago
- Globe and Mail
I remember Alia Hogben
I had the good fortune to encounter Alia Hogben when I was a public servant in the old multiculturalism program of the Department of Canadian Heritage, following up on a small grant to assist her with her manuscript on the history of Muslim women in Canada. We ended with a good 45-minute conversation on the post-Gulf War and post-9/11 challenges facing young Muslim women, which I had observed while performing other duties for my department. I was especially impressed by her fervour for Canada's Charter of Rights and Freedoms, and how it was a guidepost for women of all communities and origins, but much more so for Muslim women, who had to deal with family pressures and those of a wider society still uncertain about how they should respond. She was practical and direct on this issue when I twice saw her speak frankly to Muslim audiences. She believed strongly that one could best be a good Muslim by being a good Canadian. My colleagues and I were pleased as punch when she was named to the Order of Canada; its motto, 'desiderantes meliorem patriam,' translates as 'they desire a better country,' and this truly applied to Alia. Austin Cooke, Ottawa Sheema Khan's beautiful obituary of Alia Hogben mentioned all of the big and important events in Ms. Hogben's life. I remember her for a small one. Our church sponsored a family of refugees from Afghanistan. They arrived and settled down in Kingston, but we soon found that they had brought some family feuds with them. In particular, the conflict between some wanting to maintain all the old way of life, and others wanting to become true new Canadians. I needed a neutral counsellor and remembered the many wonderful columns Alia had written for the Kingston Whig-Standard, offering sage counsel. I contacted her and explained the problem. Within days she arrived, listened to us in detail, and suggested how to approach the family. It worked, and we saw a feuding family settle happily – now some 20 years ago – into Canadian life. Thanks, Alia. Peter Gower, Kingston To submit a memory about someone we have recently profiled on the Obituaries page, e-mail us at obit@
Toronto Sun
2 days ago
- Toronto Sun
LILLEY: Activist judge says bike lanes are a Charter right
Justice Paul Schabas claims there is a Charter right to bike lanes based entirely off his own political view. Get the latest from Brian Lilley straight to your inbox A bike lane looking northbound on University Ave. to Queen's Park in Toronto on Wednesday, Oct. 5, 2022. Photo by Ernest Doroszuk / Toronto Sun When Pierre Trudeau was sitting down with the premiers to draft the Charter of Rights and Freedoms, they weren't talking about the Charter right to bike lanes. This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. THIS CONTENT IS RESERVED FOR SUBSCRIBERS ONLY Subscribe now to read the latest news in your city and across Canada. Unlimited online access to articles from across Canada with one account. Get exclusive access to the Toronto Sun ePaper, an electronic replica of the print edition that you can share, download and comment on. Enjoy insights and behind-the-scenes analysis from our award-winning journalists. Support local journalists and the next generation of journalists. Daily puzzles including the New York Times Crossword. SUBSCRIBE TO UNLOCK MORE ARTICLES Subscribe now to read the latest news in your city and across Canada. Unlimited online access to articles from across Canada with one account. Get exclusive access to the Toronto Sun ePaper, an electronic replica of the print edition that you can share, download and comment on. Enjoy insights and behind-the-scenes analysis from our award-winning journalists. Support local journalists and the next generation of journalists. Daily puzzles including the New York Times Crossword. REGISTER / SIGN IN TO UNLOCK MORE ARTICLES Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience. Access articles from across Canada with one account. Share your thoughts and join the conversation in the comments. Enjoy additional articles per month. Get email updates from your favourite authors. THIS ARTICLE IS FREE TO READ REGISTER TO UNLOCK. Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience. Access articles from across Canada with one account Share your thoughts and join the conversation in the comments Enjoy additional articles per month Get email updates from your favourite authors Don't have an account? Create Account But that didn't stop activist lawyer turned activist judge Paul Schabas from deciding that there is a Charter right to bike lanes. 'Justice' Paul Schabas of the Ontario Superior Court of Justice said that the Ford government, which passed legislation to remove certain bike lanes and which won an election on this issue, cannot move forward. Let's just fold tents and let people like 'Justice' Schabas run our lives and give up on elections – it seems to be what he wants. In his decision, Justice Schabas relies heavily on the idea of positive rights, which is the idea that the government must take action to provide you with certain rights. This isn't part of the longstanding Canadian tradition that takes a negative rights view, which means that the government cannot take steps against you such as restricting your freedom of expression, your freedom or religion or assembly and so on. Your noon-hour look at what's happening in Toronto and beyond. By signing up you consent to receive the above newsletter from Postmedia Network Inc. Please try again This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. The idea of positive rights, that the government must take actions on your behalf, is a relatively new idea by comparison and one upheld by the far-left activists that Justice Schabas has long been associated with. He cites myriad of cases, some of which he would disagree with if taken to their logical conclusion, like Chaoulli, but uses them to push his point. He even cites American case law to try and make his ridiculous claim there is a 'positive right' that obliges the government to provide bike lanes. Read More This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. The Ford government's move to pull bike lanes from certain roads was not a blanket ban on bike lanes. In fact, Ford said that he would prefer bike lanes be put on secondary roads. 'Believe it or not, my brother Rob actually put more bike lanes in than David Miller, but he didn't do it down the middle of University or Bloor or any of those streets,' Ford said about his late brother mayor Rob Ford when announcing his bike lane changes last fall. None of this matters to activist Paul Schabas, a man who should never have been appointed to the bench. Schabas acknowledged that those arguing against the bike lane removal never even raised the constitutional elements, but he made a decision on that front anyway. 'The constitutionality of the current provision was not, technically, challenged in this application, as it was enacted after the case was argued. However, the findings in these Reasons have application to the continuing controversy between the parties and the government's proposed action,' Schabas said. This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. Here again is a judge deciding an issue, a case before them, that doesn't actually deal with the case that is in front of the judge. Justice Schabas is the epitome of judge made law. It should be noted that Justice Schabas was the activist judge who couldn't find the Charter right to freedom of expression when he was ruling in the case of Jordan Peterson. Peterson had challenged the idea that the College of Psychologists of Ontario should be able to discipline him based off of his social media statements. Schabas took a totally hands-off approach to freedom of expression simply because he disagreed with Peterson politically. Now, he takes a hands-on and positive rights view for bike lanes because he politically opposes Doug Ford and supports the idea of bike lanes. Justice Paul Schabas, an activist lawyer appointed to the bench by former justice minister David Lametti under the Justin Trudeau government, is the worst example of judicial activism. We deserve better in Canada. If we don't get better, then expect Conservatives to be as egregious in appointing activist judges as Liberals have been in appointing people like Paul Schabas to the bench. blilley@ MLB Celebrity Wrestling Canada Toronto & GTA
