the inquiry into the death of Ashley Smith in a Federal Penitentiary five years ago has been shining a much needed light on policy and procedure at Correctional Services Canada, and on the behaviour and attitudes of some of the people it employs.

recently some people on my unit were discussing a newspaper article about the inquiry. this led to a conversation about the lack of proper care for people with physical and mental health needs here at Vanier, and the ways in which they're often neglected and mistreated. i asked if anyone would like to write their stories down for the blog and i got four back, to which i've added two of my own.

october 10

last night they screwed up when they turned the lights out.  the hallway lights went out as well as the ones in our rooms, and for a few wonderful seconds it was completely dark.  i'm really looking forward to darkness.

the darkness around here today is just the general mood. it has been an eventful and rather unpleasant day.

it's October. The leaves are turning, the nights are getting cold and i have only 8 weeks left in this sentence.

the organizing against the 2010 G20 summit has been part of my life in some form or other since the fall of 2008.  it's hard to believe this part of my life is coming to a close, and at the same time it's hard to believe it's taken so long -- it's been almost 2.5 years since my arrest.  oh, the wheels of "justice," grinding on.

and I'm one of the lucky ones!

as i start to wrap up my life as a prisoner and turn my mind to life on the outside I'm thinking a lot about other folks who still find themselves in the grip of the state. 

august 24, 2012

i'm sitting at my desk drinking water from a plastic mug with a handle.  it's my own room -- no cellie! -- and the door doesn't lock. air is coming in from the open window, through which i can see grass and trees. tomorrow when i go outside i will walk on that grass and visit as many of those trees as i can.  at the expense of cool, i just might hug them. on Labour Day we're having Sports Day -- inmates are encouraged to register in teams of six by august 31. 

that's right folks, i've entered a whole new world.  goodbye maximum security, hello Unit 4!

i can't really describe how amazing it is to feel outside air on my face right now. . .