Saturday, the Union of Canadian Correctional Officers will march and rally at Stephen Harper's constituency office in Calgary, and then go door to door through the prime minister's Calgary-Southwest riding to talk about gang uprisings, overcrowding and rehabilitation program cutbacks in Canada's prison system.

Union national president Pierre Mallette said for years Harper has spoken of getting tough on crime, but federal policies are just making it tougher on the guards.

"Our members are telling us that today's prisons are a much more violent place than they were six years ago when the Conservatives took power," he said. "The current tough-on-crime approach is not working when it comes to handling Canada's prison population."

Problems inside the system do nothing to help outside either, according to Mallette, who said as a result of the problems "once these inmates are released from prisons, they are at an increased risk of re-offending."

Saturday's gathering, expected to start at 1 p.m., follows a Canada-wide tour by the union where they engaged correctional workers for their opinions and concerns.