Troubling allegations against Montreal's Bordeaux Prison over medical care for inmate battling cancer

An Indigenous man battling cancer, and his family are alleging that Montreal's Bordeaux Prison has failed to provide him with adequate medical care, claiming that it's now too late to stop the disease's progression.

Shawn Deer, who is awaiting trial on charges of selling firearms, is reflecting on the choices that led him to his current situation inside the facility.

Deer is reportedly sick and says he has not received the necessary treatment for his condition.

"I did something bad, but not bad enough to get a life sentence,” Deer said in an interview from inside the prison.

Deer and his family allege that the facility has failed to assist him in accessing urgent prostate cancer treatment.

According to his sister, Gina Deer, the disease has spread to her brother's bones and stomach.

“It’s too late for my brother to beat this cancer. It’s overtaken. And we’re all heartbroken,” Gina said.

Deer’s symptoms reportedly began shortly after he was detained in May 2023. His sister added that blood tests taken at both the prison’s infirmary and Sacré Coeur Hospital confirmed the presence of prostate cancer, which has been progressively worsening.

“My 14-year-old son, I don’t even know how to tell him,” Deer said.

The family claims that doctors at Sacré Coeur Hospital prescribed aggressive chemotherapy to slow the disease, but Deer has missed numerous appointments due to a lack of transportation to the hospital.

"He was also given a prescription that he did not receive for weeks," Gina added.

The regional health authority, which Sacré Coeur Hospital falls under said that the Ministry of Public Security is responsible for ensuring the safe transportation of inmates to off-site appointments.

However, the Ministry of Public Security, which manages Bordeaux Prison, referred the issue to the Ministry of Health and Social Services.

Jean-Claude Bernheim, a criminology expert and president of the John Howard Society of Quebec, an organization advocating for prisoners' rights, told CTV News that the government is ultimately responsible for respecting the right to life and ensuring that inmates have access to necessary treatment.

He also called for a public debate regarding conditions inside prisons.