Subhead:When sentences end during the transition period to independence, released convicts would likely be sent to their province of origin. Arrangements would have to be made to shift inmates with longer sentences to facilities within their original provinces.#
If Alberta chooses to become independent, what happens to federal prisons and inmates who reside on different sides of provincial boundaries? There has been much discussion around federally managed lands such as national parks and military bases, but we rarely address prisons.
Alberta has seven federal correctional facilities within it, holding up to 2,500 inmates coming from all regions. Across the country, there are over 14,000 inmates. Many of whom are Albertan citizens being held in other provinces.
The 1993 dissolution of Czechoslovakia covered much of this ground and offers a likely model.
Immovable assets (including prisons and related infrastructure) generally went to the successor state in whose territory they were located. Czech-territory prisons became Czech; Slovak-territory prisons became Slovak. The same would happen in Canada. Having a foreign-administered correctional facility in Alberta would be unreasonable. The prisons would be one of many hard assets to consider during secession negotiations.
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