Kim Pate, Executive Director of the Canadian Association of Elizabeth Fry Society speaks about being denied standing at an inquest. ©CBC
According to an article by the CBC, the Canadian Association of Elizabeth Fry Societies, an organization that advocates for the rights of women and girls in the justice system, has been refused access to participate in an inquest into the controversial death of an aboriginal woman who died while in a federal prison hospital. The reason? The Saskatchewan coroner, Timothy Hawryluk, claims that Elizabeth Fry Societies’ clients would not “have a substantial interest in the inquest.” Kim Pate, Executive Director of the Association (and CFICE Violence Against Women hub co-lead), denies this claim.
“Certainly we have a substantial interest in these issues. We’re the only organization that works exclusively with women. We go into the prisons on a regular basis. We are some of the first in the prison to meet with the women.”
The inquest is set to begin in January 2016. In the meantime, the Canadian Association of Elizabeth Fry Societies is considering appealing the coroner’s decision. For more information, read the full article here.