Indigenous fire keeper pushes back against searches at London prison

After 27 years of performing pipe ceremonies and providing spiritual counselling for Indigenous inmates at London's Elgin-Middlesex Detention Centre (EMDC), Michael Hopkins says his days of providing the service may be coming to an end.

He doesn't want to stop visiting inmates to offer what he sees as crucial support for a population that is notoriously over-represented in Canada's prison system. 

However, he said a recent move to change the security protocol at EMDC, if it continues, could force him to stop his weekly visits. At issue is what Hopkins said is a new requirement that he be searched upon entry, something he said has never been required in his time working at EMDC. 

"The last two months I've been going in, they've wanted to look in the pipe bag, and I told them, 'No, you're not touching the bag, you're not looking in it,'" he said.

Hopkins said he's opposed to being searched because his bag contains sacred items, which he said should never be touched by anyone other than the person who's entrusted to care for them. 

"They're not for show and tell to be opened up to whoever is at the front door and doesn't know about them or understand them," said Hopkins, who is also a traditional fire keeper for N'Amerind Friendship Centre. "You can't just look into somebody's sacred items. Nobody touches them. Nobody.'"

Access to Indigenous spirituality in jails and prisons is now a well-accepted practice at both the federal and provincial correctional systems. 

Ontario's Ministry of the Solicitor General has a web page outlining the rules for inmate access to Indigenous spiritual services, which are supposed to be given the same status and protections afforded to faith groups.

According to the rules on the web page, visits by an Indigenous elder "are subject to the superintendent's normal control of visits to the institution." The rules also say sacred items such as pipes, drums, and feathers can be temporarily brought into the institution "following clearance by the security manager."

However, Hopkins said he'd been allowed to enter EMDC for years without being searched. Hopkins said he underwent security clearance and was issued a photo ID badge by the prison when the visits first began in the late 1990s, which he still has. He said he was even given a key by EMDC staff, allowing him to move between certain areas of the prison to meet with inmates. 

Hopkins said his weekly visits have never raised a security problem and that EMDC's Native and Indigenous Liaison Officer is with him at all times when he's on the property. 

CBC News reached out to the Solicitor General's ministry for comment but did not receive a response on Wednesday. Hopkins said he was first told two months ago that all visitors must now be searched, including lawyers and faith leaders who come to visit inmates. 

Hopkins objected and said he was allowed to continue to visit without searches pending a decision on the matter by the prison's superintendents, which Hopkins said he's expecting to come this week. 

"They're saying they don't respect or trust me, they don't respect the culture, they don't respect the sacred items," said Hopkins, who plans to raise the issue with Indigenous chiefs in the London area if he isn't allowed to enter without being searched. 

Lawyer said sacred objects must be respected

Katherine Hensel, a lawyer and member of the Indigenous Bar Association, said Hopkins's objection to having people touch the pipes and other sacred objects is not a trivial matter. 

"These items are sources of safety," said Hensel. "These are pathways to healing. Whether it's a pipe, or an eagle feather, or another sacred item, the people who hold these items have obligations with respect to their care. Some items can only be touched by the person responsible and no one else."

Hensel said Hopkins should be given some leeway given his years providing support for inmates. 

Hopkins said if the visits do stop, it will be a loss to inmates who he said have benefited from taking part in pipe ceremonies. Some people he met as inmates experience personal growth and learning about their Indigenous heritage. Others have worked with him after their release.

"They get to smoke that pipe and it calms them, they feel good ... they get the teachings about responsibility and commitment if they want to change their lifestyle," he said.