Terri-Lynne McClintic, convicted in the death of 8-year-old Victoria Stafford, is escorted into court in Kitchener, Ont., in 2012 for her trial in an assault on another inmate while in prison. The father of a young girl who was brutally murdered says McClintic, who was spending time in an Indigenous healing lodge, is back in prison.--CP FILE PHOTO
JEREMY APPEL & TAYLOR CHARTRAND
Alberta Newspaper Group
Convicted child killer Terri-Lynne McClintic has been removed from the Okimaw Ohci Healing Lodge and transferred to an Edmonton prison for women.
This news comes one day after Public Safety Minister Ralph Goodale announced new rules for how Correctional Service Canada approves and assesses inmate transfers to healing lodges.
McClintic, who is serving a life-sentence for the brutal rape and murder of eight-year-old Tori Stafford of Woodstock, Ont., was transferred from the Grand Valley Institution for Women near Kitchener, Ont., to the healing lodge in southwest Saskatchewan, sparking outrage nationwide.
McClintic’s transfer back to prison was confirmed by Tori’s father, Rodney Stafford, via Facebook.
Maple Creek Mayor Michelle McKenzie provided her two cents on the decision to transfer McClintic and strengthen the rules for how Correctional Service Canada approves and assesses inmate transfers to healing lodges.
“There can now be some degree of closure for residents and an opportunity for the community to strengthen the mutually supportive relationship that Maple Creek and the Healing Lodge have forged over the years,” she said.
Former mayor Barry Rudd has a somewhat different perspective.
“Yes, she’s dangerous. Yes, what she did was gruesome. It’s terrible and she should be in jail. There’s no doubt about it,” he said. “But, on the other hand too, you have pedophiles who do time and they come out into the community.”
One Maple Creek resident who was very passionate about this matter was Karri Williams.
Williams took it upon herself to hit the streets in protest once she found out McClintic was at the healing lodge.
Now with the transfer of McClintic out of Maple Creek, Williams is breathing a sigh of relief.
“I’m very pleased that she’s gone from the healing lodge. Unfortunately, where she has gone still isn’t good enough in my eyes,” said Williams. “She should be in a maximum security facility, not minimum-medium. We’ll keep writing our MPs and hopefully Tori’s law will be put into place.”
One of the biggest fears that Williams had with McClintic residing in the headling lodge was that she could escape much easier than in a maximum security prison.
“I just found out today (Friday) that one of the girls has escaped from the healing lodge. This comes conveniently after the child killer has been transferred,” she said.
“It’s unbelievable and for someone to tell me that the healing lodge is equally as secure as a prison is complete B.S.”
Williams was quick to point out that healing lodges certainly have their place in society, but they must be reserved for those who are worthy.
Williams spearheaded an e-petition on the matter, which she said has more than 10,000 signatures.
“In the beginning, we sat around and complained like most people. After a few e-mails and calls, I got a form letter back from Ralph Goodale’s assistant and that made me furious. I felt as though he wasn’t taking the issue seriously,” said WIlliams.
“That’s when I decided it was time to get off my butt, make a sign and get out their to let the community know how I felt.”
