Inmates in Federal Court hoping to force government to address inmate pay rules
MONTREAL — Federal prisoners who want to increase the amount they receive in inmate pay are hopeful a court will find in their favour and force the government to act on the issue.
Lawyers representing inmates began arguing in Federal Court on Monday that their charter rights are being infringed by government policies.
Attorneys representing the prisoners said the salary paid to convicts who work has been frozen since it was introduced in 1981.
And lawyers said that for some inmates, that amount has been subject to a 30 per cent cut taken off the top since 2013, when the Conservative government offset accommodation, food and telephone costs.