The Canada Border Services Agency was aware it could face scrutiny for contracting out security positions at the holding centre where a Mexican national died by suicide last December, freedom-of-information documents have revealed.
The first alert regarding the death came from the CBSA’s Regional Operation Centre shortly after 8:30 a.m. on Dec. 20, about two hours after Lucia Vega Jimenez was found in medical distress in the bathroom of the B.C. Immigration Holding Centre (BCIHC): “Attempted suicide while in custody,” it read in part.
In the following hours, the agency’s communications team exchanged a flurry of e-mails checking to see if the news had become public on Twitter and ScanBC, an online radio scanning group, and to craft key messaging points in preparation.
That afternoon, CBSA director-general Ken MacKillop sent an e-mail to agency executives – including Martin Bolduc, associate vice-president of operations; Caroline Weber, vice-president of corporate affairs; and spokeswoman Patrizia Giolti – proposing that the agency’s holding lines (official responses to questions) “simply acknowledge that an incident has occurred and that an investigation led by Richmond RCMP is underway.”
Early that evening, Ms. Giolti e-mailed draft holding lines to colleagues that outlined that the agency should confirm only that first responders were called to the holding centre and that a short-term detainee was sent to hospital. Only if pressed should the agency say that the Richmond RCMP was looking into the matter, according to the e-mail.
The federal agency was subject to intense scrutiny after media in January reported the death of Ms. Vega Jimenez, 42. The CBSA declined interviews with media, instead issuing short statements that contained little information. Freedom-of-information requests submitted by journalists in February took nine months to yield responses despite a 30-business-day deadline under Canada’s Access to Information Act.
The records – more than 1,750 pages – show that the agency carefully prepared responses in anticipation of media interest.
A memo titled “Communications Approach,” that was issued by CBSA regional director Perry Boldt on the day Ms. Vega Jimenez was discovered, outlined “reactive media lines” should there be questions from the public. In part, it noted that the death occurred at a detention centre where CBSA uses contracted security agents from Vancouver-based Genesis Security.
“It will be important for the public to understand that such employment is done under very strict guidelines and the protocol is adhered to at all times,” the memo states. “This kind of messaging will need to be developed with Genesis.”
Last month, a coroner’s jury heard that the private security firm had made mistakes, including not having a female security guard present and missing some checks of detainees. It made several recommendations, including that CBSA staff – not contracted security guards – monitor immigration detainees.
Ms. Vega Jimenez was arrested in Vancouver on Dec. 1 after a fare and identity check by Transit Police revealed she was wanted by CBSA on immigration matters. She was held in custody for three weeks before attempting to kill herself on Dec. 20. She was taken to hospital, where she died eight days later.
Claudia Franco Hijuelos, consul-general of Mexico in Vancouver, said Ms. Vega Jimenez feared being deported due to a domestic situation at home.
Commentary by the Ottawa Mens Centre
When it comes to National Security, our Government needs to start looking at
itself in the mirror and its an ugly picture of Terrorists who commit crimes
against humanity engaged on Fassccist programs that promote Gender Cleansing.
Ontario has over the decades slowly introduced "Male Sharia Law", its installed
its own judges from the Children's Aid Societies to act as Rubber Stamps for
Ontario's multi billion Dollar Criminal Cartel that operates by having corrupt
Judges "rubber stamp" anything and everything it wants.
It's the Cult of Extreme Feminism that has made it normal for the Ontario
Government to spend Billions of Dollars Promoting Violence against fathers, and
in particular "Gender Cleansing" that has been so effective around 99% of
children in custody battles are placed with mothers regardless of their records
for extreme violence towards children and partners.
In Ottawa, the Classic Example of a Professional Child Abuser is that of
Marguerite Isobel Lewis, a lawyer with the Children's Aid Society of Ottawa who
personally fabricates evidence in the court room to successfully remove children
from male victims of domestic violence claiming that male victims of domestic
violence can't support the violent mother's relationship with the children the
violent mothers habitually assault.
We have Police Officers like Det. Peter Van Der Zander who personally fabricates
Evidence to allow the most violent of female offenders escape charges when if
they were male, would automatically get charged and almost as automatically get
charged.
We have Crown Attorney's like TARA DOBEC who when charges are laid against
women, personally STAYS charges against them.
We have Crown Attorney's who charge male victims of domestic violence with
Perjury and or Criminal Defamation simply because they said they were Male
Victims of Domestic violence.
Faaccissm is a thriving business in Ontario, it costs Canadians many billions of
dollars that could buy hundreds of F35 fighter jets or several nuclear powered
aircraft carriers, that is at present costing Ontario Tax Payers a large portion
of their taxes.
Our greatest threat to National Security, to Male Police officers, comes not
from terrorists out side of Canada but those employed and encouraged by our
Fasscist Government of Ontario that is hell bent on promoting domestic terrorism
and child abuse as part of it's "Gender Cleansing" Operation that results in 99%
of children in custody battles being given to mothers, even when they have
incredible records for violence against children and partners.
Check out the movie "Powerful as god" at www.Blakout.ca
Ottawa Mens Centre
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