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He noted that many changes are already under way, and the Kingston prison for Women, a 1930svintage lockup, will be closed later this year. Federal women convicts will serve their time innewer regional facilities. Mr. Gray said the government will study Judge Arbours recommendations for the next four to six weeks before deciding which it will implement. He was noncommittal yesterday on most of them, including a suggestion on the creation of a deputy commissioner of corrections for women. The prison guards union puts the problems at the Kingston Prison for Women on poor staff training and ambiguous policies. Judge Arbours report describes several days of rising tension at the prison starting with a fracas on April 22, 1994. The judge acknowledges she is unable to get to the bottom of the incident, which involved injury to at least two female correctional officers and the use of the chemical Mace to subdue inmates. Six inmates were locked up in solitary confinement cells as a result. Judge Arbour also recommended amendments to the Criminal Code of Canada that would allow prisoners to appeal to the courts to have their sentences reduced if their rights have been violated.SolicitorGeneral Herb Gray offered a heartfelt apology to the women, adding that the government is considering financial compensation. Several of the women are suing the government. The government accepted Mr. Edwards request for reassignment to other duties in the federal bureaucracy, the minister said. Mr. Edwards, 55, is a career public servant who once helped manage national museums. He has generally served Canada well in a variety of posts over the years, Mr. Gray said. Mr. Edwards, who has been commissioner of corrections since 1989, will stay on for a month or so until his replacement is an announced, Mr. Gray said. Kim Pate, spokeswoman for the prisoneradvocacy group the Elizabeth Fry Society, said other correctional service employees should follow his example. We dont presume to know who all was involved in these decisions, she told a news conference, but certainly we expect those that were * will take a responsible action. Judge Arbour said she saw no point in naming individuals within the correctional service because the problems are systemic.

 

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