In February 2009, it was discovered that Canada's-then Public Safety Minister, Peter Van Loan, alongside the Correctional Service of Canada, had planned the closure of all six of the prison farms owned by the people of Canada and operated by CORCAN - the branch of the Correctional Service that operates rehabiliation programs that provide employment training to inmates. The farms are located in Alberta, Saskatchewan, Manitoba, Ontario and New Brunswick.

The closure of the farms has resulted in a wave of opposition across the country from organizations, unions and individuals who see the farms as playing an important rehabilitative role, they further the growing interest across the country to support local agricultural infrastructure, they produce food for their own operations, and they hold the potential to become even greater models of economic, environmental and social sustainability.

Past Broadcasts

2010
February 4 - "The Future of Prison Farms II"
Wayne Easter, James Bezan, Carol Hughes, Pierre Lemieux, André Bellavance, Andrew McCann,
John Hutton, Mark Holland, Niki Ashton

2009
July 2 - "The Future of Prison Farms"
Andrew McCann, Dianne Dowling