Critics say a plan to close jails in Walkerton and Owen Sound is short-sighted and means prisoners will spend more time out in the community.
Progressive Conservative MPP Bill Murdoch says the governing Liberals have jumped all over a Tory plan to put prisoners to work because that means criminals would be out in the community.
But the Bruce Grey Owen Sound MPP says they don’t seem to have problems putting convicts up in hotels.
Murdoch says closing those jails means prisoners will have to be transported to and from a facility in Penetanguishene — a five to seven hour trip on treacherous roads in winter.
That means the prisoners will end up spending time at hotels along the route.
In the Ontario legislature Tuesday morning, NDP leader Andrea Horwath pushed for a review of the decision to close the jails in Owen Sound, Walkerton and Sarnia.
She also presented a 12 thousand name petition from people in Bruce and Grey Counties who opposed to the closures.
Murdoch and NDP critic Peter Kormos joined jail guards in asking the government to delay the closures to have a review to determine what the savings really are from such a closure.
The Tories and NDP are both promising a full review of the jails if they were to come into power on the October 6th election.
