Mayor Allen Dowhan is expressing his frustration with the provincial government’s decision to move forward with the jail closure during the pandemic.
The mayor requested to meet with Justice Minister Cliff Cullen to discuss ending the closure, and the City of Dauphin even offered $1 million to help cover the costs of revamping the jail.
Mayor Dowhan says he still hasn't heard back from the Justice Minister's office.
The only response he’s received is a letter from the Minister, which appears to indicate there will be no budging on the official May 29th closure date.
He says the decision is disappointing for the employees, who now have to uproot families.
The Mayor is still encouraging local groups to continue their lobbying efforts.
“I have a lot of appreciation for the groups and individuals that are writing [the province]. Keep on lobbying the government. We want to make the message clear: this is the wrong decision at the wrong time.”
