In Memory of Those Who Have Died...
Victims of Institutional Neglect
Matthew Bouvier (2024) London Free Press
"Matthew’s journey is one of endurance and resilience in the face of trauma, systemic neglect, and relentless adversity," his childhood friend Chad wrote in an exchange with The London Free Press.
Bryan Michael Meyers (2024) London Free Press
Meyers was taken to the hospital for pneumonia two days earlier, but was sent back to the Exeter Road jail and put in a segregation unit, where he was found unresponsive when guards brought him breakfast, friend Steve Doyle previously told The Free Press.
Jamie Briggs (2022) London Free Press
"He suffered and died alone": Partner seeks answers in jail inmate's death
Ronald Jack (2022) London Free Press
EMDC inmate died 5 days after he was arrested: Court records.
Brandon Marchant (2021) CBC News
Family members say Marchant was a rambunctious prankster, popular with friends and women. He was a mixed martial arts fighter and worked in construction. He'd been in trouble with the law before, but was hard working and loved his family.
Clayton "Denny" Bissonnette (2021) London Free Press
The life and death of Bissonnette, and the struggles of his Indigenous family to re-unite and reconcile after the Sixties Scoop, were the subject of a recent London Free Press project, The Boy with Two Names.
Tyler Lancha (2021) CBC News
"He was a son who was loved. He had a child of his own that's going to grow up now without a father. Every time I hear about one of these inmates who dies at EMDC, I think the first thing is profound sadness that we keep having these inquests and recommendations are made and nothing changes."
Malcolm Ripley (2020) The Londoner
"It’s just another in a series of very unfortunate incidents at EMDC. Even with the increased security and inability for members of the public and lawyers to visit inmates, somehow he died." London lawyer and inmates’ advocate Kevin Egan said.
Chase Blanchard (2019) London Free Press
Blanchard’s friends acknowledge he had struggles, including drug addiction and frequent run-ins with the law, but say that shouldn’t overshadow his tragic death.
Sean Tourand-Brightman (2019) CTV News
Winston Brightman said his son had "three beautiful little girls" and was looking forward to having his case resolved in less than two weeks when he died. He said the shock and grief of his son’s death cause him to cry every day. "We aren’t supposed to bury our children."
James Pigeau (2018) CBC News
James Pigeau, 32, was an outspoken critic who wanted to change conditions at the London jail.
Justin Struthers (2017) Chatham Daily News
Struthers wanted to be a barber. He enjoyed drawing and was a generous man with plenty of friends, his grandmother said. Most of all, Struthers was fiercely loyal to his friends and family and wore his heart on his sleeve.
Ronald James Jenkins (2017) London Free Press
"Ron was a gentleman, a good friend... He will be much missed by many." a female friend said, declining to comment further. The circumstances of Jenkins’ death are unknown, but police say foul play is not suspected. Sources say he died of suicide.
Murray Davis (2017) CTV News
The mother of Murray Davis says the pain of her loss is still raw and she wants to make sure other families are spared the anguish. "I miss his smile, his hugs," says Lisa Davis. "It’s very frustrating, like he’s supposed to be in there to be safe and to get help and not to be doing drugs anymore."
Michael Fall (2017) CTV News
Michael Fall died in July of 2017, inside a 24-unit cell range. His cell mate had immediately called out for help, after Fall overdosed on fentanyl.
Raymond George Major (2017) St. Thomas Times-Journal
"I think about what he was going through in jail. He would have been freezing to death, and they don’t give you extra blankets. He would have been throwing up. He was in a depression. He was lonely. He felt he lost all his family."
Justin Thompson (2016) London Free Press
"The fact that we still don’t have anything from the inquest, no changes, and other people are going through this now, this is crazy." his stepmother, Liz Thompson, said.
Floyd Deleary (2015) CBC News
"We want a new structure to be able to have programs and stuff available for people with mental health issues," said his niece, Raquel Hilliker. "I really do think that would be the ultimate goal out of this."
Jamie High (2014) London Free Press
The London Free Press began a long journey trying to figure out what happened to Jamie High by obtaining the audio recording of the transcript and listening repeatedly to the chaos of the court hearing and the words he spoke.
Keith Patterson (2014) Woodstock Sentinel-Review
"First of all, the inquests are put off for years. Then when the recommendations are made, the government twiddles their thumbs before responding and then don’t contact the family."
Adam Kargus (2013) CBC News
A London jury heard in the Crown's opening address that the pandemonium of the hour-long fatal beating of inmate Adam Kargus by his cellmate Anthony George was so loud that an inmate claimed he could hear it on a lower floor of the Elgin-Middlesex Detention Centre.
Laura Straughan (2009) CBC News
"Their course of action was to pick up her body, put it back on the bed and get another mattress and block her in so she wouldn't be a nuisance anymore," said her sister. "And she died that night."
Kenneth Randall Drysdale (2009) CTV News
In April of 2009 Kenneth Randall Drysdale died as a result of head trauma suffered at the hands of other inmates.
Not all families come forward, and not all have families, there has been more.
Some of the Known Short & Long Term Risks of Institutional Neglect...
Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder • Depression • Anxiety disorders • Agoraphobia • Panic attacks • Insomnia • Suicidal ideation • Self-harm behaviors • Loss of trust in authority figures • Social withdrawal • Difficulty forming relationships • Difficulty maintaining relationships • Paranoia • Chronic hyper-vigilance • Risk of delusions and hallucinations • Emotional numbness • Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder • Heightened sensitivity to stimuli • Flashbacks • Increased risk of re-offending • Reduced educational attainment • Lower cognitive functioning • Poor impulse control • Disorientation • Memory problems • Loss of self-esteem • Increased risk of substance abuse • Decreased problem-solving abilities • Difficulty concentrating • Developmental delays • Increased risk of self-mutilation • Heightened susceptibility to mental illness • Decreased motivation • Avoidance of authority figures • Increased risk of future criminal behavior • Distrust of mental health professionals • Increased vulnerability to exploitation • Regression in social skills • Loss of hope for the future • Decreased ability to empathize with others • Impaired decision-making • Personality disorders • Disconnection from reality • Loss of coping skills • Inability to adapt to change • Fear of confinement • Increased sensitivity to stress • Difficulty expressing emotions • Inability to process trauma • Heightened anxiety in social situations • Reduced problem-solving skills • Inability to plan for the future & Inability to set and achieve goals • Impaired emotional regulation • Decreased sense of identity • Fear of abandonment • Difficulty in trusting oneself & Chronic self-doubt • Decreased self-worth & heightened risk of self-hate • Emotional instability • Loss of cultural identity • Decreased verbal communication skills • Social awkwardness • Alienation from peers • Difficulty in finding meaning in life • Loss of independence • Cognitive dissonance • Difficulty in expressing and managing feelings • Excessive guilt • Feelings of worthlessness • Increased risk of re-victimization • Impaired empathy for others • Reduced sense of morality • Impaired ability to handle stress • Hostility towards authority figures • Reduced self-awareness • Chronic physical health problems • Reduced resilience • Heightened risk of substance addiction • Impaired sense of time • Difficulty in seeking help • Insecurity about one's abilities • Difficulty trusting others • Inability to express needs • Emotional detachment • Hypochondria • Reduced ability to experience joy • Loss of faith in the justice system • Reduced ability to advocate for oneself • Chronic nightmares • Impaired moral development • Difficulty in managing anger & Increased thoughts of aggression • Decreased sense of hope • Increased risk of self-imposed isolation • Heightened risk of reclusive behaviours • Heightened vulnerability to bullying • Impaired ability to manage conflict • Difficulty in accessing mental health services • Risk of eating disorders • Development of maladaptive coping mechanisms • Increased susceptibility to manipulation • Decreased sense of safety • Loss of motivation to participate in rehabilitation programs • Heightened risk of chronic loneliness • Impaired emotional intelligence • Difficulty in handling disappointment • Decreased sense of fairness • Reduced ability to assert oneself • Inability to set boundaries • Impaired creative thinking • Chronic guilt and shame • Loss of interest in hobbies and activities • Decreased sense of spirituality • Difficulty in accessing educational resources • Impaired physical health due to stress • Heightened risk of self-neglect • Increased risk of obsessive-compulsive behaviors • Impaired problem-solving skills in everyday life • Decreased ability to take initiative • Difficulty in seeking justice or restitution • Increased risk of sexual dysfunction • Impaired ability to manage time • Loss of interest in self-improvement • Difficulty in identifying and expressing emotions • Impaired ability to navigate social situations • Decreased resilience to setbacks • Chronic mistrust of authority • Inability to make long-term plans • Reduced sense of personal agency • Impaired ability to adapt to change • Difficulty in expressing vulnerability • Increased risk of suicidal behavior • Loss of faith in humanity • Impaired sense of fairness and justice • Decreased capacity for self-compassion • Difficulty in managing intrusive thoughts • Heightened risk of dissociative disorders • Decreased ability to cooperate with others • Chronic feelings of injustice • Difficulty in accessing legal resources • Chronic self-criticism • Increased risk of regressive behavior • Impaired ability to make informed decisions • Hyperacusis or other hearing difficulties • Chronic pessimism • Difficulty in recognizing personal strengths • Decreased ability to engage in leisure activities • Impaired ability to tolerate uncertainty • Heightened risk of identity crises • Decreased capacity for self-forgiveness • Difficulty in accessing employment opportunities • Impaired ability to maintain a routine • Loss of hope for personal growth • Impaired ability to set and achieve personal goals • Difficulty in engaging in meaningful activities • Decreased sense of belonging to society • Early Death
Out of Oversight, Out of Mind .pdf
Investigation into how the Ministry of Community Safety and Correctional Services tracks the admission and placement of segregated inmates, and the adequacy and effectiveness of the review process for such placements. By Ombudsman Ontario.
The Devil's Playground .pdf
A Case Study of Elgin-Middlesex Detention Centre (EMDC) Demonstrating the Systemic Failings of the Ontario Corrections Regime, by Nicole Kelly.
It's a Matter of Time .pdf
A 2015 systemic review of secure isolation in Ontario Youth Justice Facilities by the Provincial Advocate for Children & Youth.
Alone: Youth in Custody .pdf
The Prolonged and Repeated Isolation of Youth in Custody. Report prepared by the Ombudsperson of British Columbia, 2021.
Breaking the Cycle .pdf
An update on the use of segregation and solitary confinement in Manitoba youth custody facilities. A special report by the Manitoba Advocate for Children and Youth, 2021
Youth in Segregation .pdf
Report on the segregation of Youth in Alberta, prepared by the Alberta Ombudsman, 2021.
2010 Review of HWDC .pdf
Office of the Provincial Advocate for Children and Youth for Ontario's 2010 report into youth at HWDC.
Breaking Down the Walls .pdf
Coordinating Legal and Extra-Legal Strategies to Abolish Solitary Confinement in Canada, by Rebecca Jones.
A Case for Abolition .pdf
Call to end solitary confinement by The West Coast Prison Justice Society & The Law Foundation of British Columbia, 2016.
Solitary by Another Name .pdf
The ongoing use of isolation in Canada’s federal prisons, by Prisoners’ Legal Services, a project of the West Coast Prison Justice Society, 2020.
By Any Other Name .pdf
On Monday, November 16, 2020, a coalition of groups invested in justice for prisoners launched a 15-day spotlight on the ongoing practice of solitary confinement in Canada. This is their report.
Segregation in Ontario .pdf
Independent Review of Ontario Corrections, report by the Human Services & Justice Coordinating Committee, 2017.
O.P.C.A.T. Wikipedia
The Optional Protocol to the Convention Against Torture: A treaty Canada should sign, ratify, and implement.
CFPC: Position Statement .pdf
The College of Family Physicians of Canada's Position Statement calling for the abolition of the solitary confinement of youth and in most other cases.
HWDC Online Memorial Wall H.W.D.C.
The same problems in another city. The Hamilton-Wentworth Detention Centre Online Memorial Wall.
Dutch List of Safe Countries Webpage
The Netherlands removed Canada from its list of safe countries in late 2021, in part due to the conditions at the Elgin-Middlesex Detention Centre, and others like it. (An archived version from 2021 when Canada was still on the list can be found here).
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Last Updated: October 29th, 2024
