Toronto Home to Worst-Fed Inmates in North America?

In Toronto lunch served to inmates at courthouses -- most of whom are awaiting trial and presumed innocent -- consists of a sandwich, often cheese, and glass of water mixed with artificial flavour crystals.

Vegetarians get a piece of lettuce and a slice of tomato on a hamburger bun.

The Toronto Police Service, which is responsible for the lunches, pays $1.19 per meal.

On Tuesday, a lawyer representing the alleged president of the Toronto chapter of the Hells Angels plans to challenge the adequacy of the meals, asking a judge to order that his client be provided with more to eat and drink during his four-month trial, set to begin Oct. 22.

"My client is presumed innocent and has a right to defend himself against the charges at his trial," Craig Bottomley, a lawyer representing John Neal, told the Star.

Toronto police spokesperson Mark Pugash said the lunches represent a balance between meeting the needs of prisoners and making reasonable use of taxpayers' money.

In absolute dollars, the city spends more on feeding Toronto Zoo animals than accused people — $927,000 a year, according to the zoo's website, versus approximately $200,000 for inmates.

The Toronto Police Services Board recently voted to extend its contract with a supplier at a cost of $1.24 a meal, which consists of a sandwich and a drink made of water and flavour crystals. (Accused young offenders get a juice box.)

A police spokesperson said a sandwich consists of four ounces of deli meat or cheese.

Here's how that stacks up with other jurisdictions:

Regina

Menu: A cheeseburger, French fries or a hash brown patty and a soft drink, from A & W, McDonald's or the Canadian Legion

Cost: $4.50 to $6

Who pays: Ministry of Justice court services division

New York City

Menu: Two sandwiches (either peanut butter and jelly, or cheese, on whole wheat bread. A piece of fresh fruit. Fruit juice or milk

Cost: N/A

Who pays: New York State Dept. of Corrections

Vancouver (and elsewhere in British Columbia)

Menu: Two sandwiches, a cookie, a piece of fruit and a fruit drink.

Cost: N/A

Who pays: B.C. Ministry of the Attorney General Sheriff's Services

Guelph, Ontario

Menu: Choice of a meat or vegetarian sandwich and juice

Cost: $4.52

In fact, lunches served to accused people in Toronto courthouses may well be the most nutritionally inadequate in North America.

A Star investigation has found they lag behind what's served in Newfoundland, British Columbia, Saskatchewan, New York, Arizona and parts of the deep south, including Florida and Alabama.

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[Daarkside902]

@fuscian you wouldnt last a minute in renous

[gordiem10]

FUCKIN NUTS WHEN COMPARING TO OTHER PLACES.

[Phillydakid13]

we dont even get that in durham we get a nutragran bar and juice box thats it all day in are courts they have it good shit

[kellucky55]

Bleeding heart liberal lawyer. That's the same guys that help keep jail time for child molester's sentences short.

[Algonquin81]

@ehohkay That's just in the court lunch session. I used to get new york fries "sizable portion" with a sour orange crush.

[RonnyJoeJimBobby]

See how it stacks up to the jails in Colombia or China and they'll shut their mouths pretty quick. How about a bucket of slop for 40 men in a room where you need to take turns sleeping?

[NiccFury]

@fuscian I could'nt really say much about Durham, But there's real people everywhere. The thing about West is the population, and people out in Durham usually come from well off families, While our friends and families aren't well off... big difference.

[fuscian]

never. u seem to know whos in pc and who aint. i was in G2 till they transfered me to toronto west in rexdale. trust me durham bunch of white pussy ass kids getting locced for drunk driving and possession. Relax dem mandem pussy in durham and u and i both know it.

[ehohkay]

@fuscian u ran p.c. goofy snitch

[fuscian]

@ehohkay already got arrested there. i ran it. bunch of pussies and cowards who did anything i said or else id sleep them and get them raped by my celly. sup?