November 3, 1999

I stayed up all morning playing Scrabble with Jason.  I beat him 3 times, but he got me tonight. … I had a run-in with [Counselor] the giant bitch this morning. I asked if I could get a French newspaper and she said no.  There’s no reason for that other than just to fuck me around. 

I also asked about getting a T.A. to the library and she wouldn’t even consider it.  Fucking bitch, I hate her.  So, I wrote a letter about it to Verna, Herb Dickinson, and Wes MacAleer.  Except for Verna’s letter, I sent them to a lawyer, so I’ll know they got out.  I probably won’t ever get a response but it’s worth a try.  I was telling Mark and Laurie about all the letters I’ve written and they were amused.  I’d like to see them come to our unit but so far, no go.  … I finished my appeal and got it sent out.  Brian S. says there’s no way I’ll win but I’m still hopeful.  I think I have a good argument. …

Jolene was working the kitchen this morning.  I guess they’re having trouble getting any help there.  I don’t know why anyone would work for those bastards for free.  Fuck them … George M. came to max from lock-up.  Wade beat him up and God knows he deserved it.  We made sure that he wouldn’t be going to our unit.  Caroll over there freaked out at some kid who wouldn’t shut his mouth.  We knew that was coming.  I’ll be surprised if he can put up with George … Jim got his money after all.  Surprisingly, Dave came through.  I bought him a pack of cigarettes anyway.  I hate to see anyone go without smokes. … I got mine free.  [tuber] today.  I’m amazed they feel for that.

[Guard 3] wants me to write a letter for him to see if he can get a bag of dogfood.  [Guard 3] left his National Post here last night and one of the guards ran off with it.  That pisses me off.  Why can’t the guards buy their own paper and leave something for the inmates?  Fucking bastards.  I received another copy of [my wife]’s separation agreement today.  I’m not opposed to separation but I’m not comfortable about signing this thing till I get out.  She’s not gonna be happy to hear that, but so what, fuck her …

It was a bad day in the kitchen.  The dreaded egg sandwich for lunch and chicken legs or what was supposed to be pork chops at night.  Bastards.

Mike C. is back here.  It’s almost like a reunion; all the guys who were here last winter are coming back.  [Terrence] is on his way back too.  Hope he brings an arsehole full of pills.

November 4

Another pleasant day, except for my dealings with [Supervisor] the asshole and [Counselor] the giant bitch, that is.  This morning I was told by John B., that by order from management, I am no longer allowed to take the French tapes back to the unit on weekends.  Obviously, this is a punishment for me questioning her judgement.  Obviously, it’s bullshit.  I spoke to [Supervisor] the asshole about it and perhaps he will back down.  But I have written a letter to CBC Radio which I am sending regardless of what happens.  All I have to do is get a guard to smuggle it out and mail it for me.  And I may be able to get a French paper by having one sent to Mark.  I think that one way or another I’ll be able to get one in.  I enjoy this controversy, in a way, because it gives me something to focus on. 

I had a meeting with Sputs brother, Sandy, today and he says he will look into this for me.  He’s a good guy and seems to have sided with me.  I hope he has some pull around here.  Will find out soon enough … I also got my crossword puzzles from my personals today.  I asked Bubba to get them for me as he is unaware of [Supervisor] the assholes ban.

… my mother was in today and it was a pleasant visit.  I asked her to get me a subscription to either the Chronicle Herald or the Toronto Star.  I’ve been told I can’t have a subscription, but I want to see what happens when they start arriving in the mail.  If they won’t give them to me, they are going to have to store them for me and they will take up a lot of room … Sput gave me a Toronto Sun and [Guard 3] gave me a National Post this evening so with those and my puzzles I am sure to have something to do all weekend.

Paul M. is also coming to see me tomorrow and I hope to hear that he will indeed take me for a program.  I will have to fax that info to the parole board if so.  I was asking [nurse1] the bitch about going to a dentist as I have a sore tooth.  She tells me that I may have to go in hand cuffs and shackles.  I would not consider this as it would be degrading.

November 5

And the weekend is upon us again … all was well today.  Paul M. was here and he says it’s no problem for me to do another program.  We’ll have a letter for the Parole Board on Monday so I hope we can get them on side.  The next available program is Jan. 10 and I hope to be in it …

They’re still fucking me around here about the French.  Again, they said I can’t take it back to my cell.  But guys who are studying for their GED’s are allowed to study in their cells.  It seems that they have a separate rule just for me.  No surprise there.  So, I called the Human Rights Commission.  George wasn’t in but the lady I was talking to says it doesn’t sound right to her.  She’ll be getting back to me on Monday.

I can’t wait to see that fucking giant bitch [Counselor] have to back down. Ha ha ha they’ll be sorry they fucked with me … I finished my letter to Matt Campbell.  Now, I just have to find a guard to get it out for me.  Shouldn’t be a problem.  I wrote a letter for [Guard 3] so he can get some free dog food.  He gave me his Post and a Halifax Paper today so with my paper and the book of crossword puzzles I’m all set for the weekend.

On Monday, Mark and Lorrie are moving over here.  It should be alright having them around.  Mark can help me with the French.  And he likes to play scrabble too.  I need some competition.  I almost always beat Jason.  Sometimes, I find myself holding back cause I don’t want to beat him too badly … I miss playing Scrabble with Tyler, he really got into it. … Jolene has been working in the kitchen the past few days, but I haven’t really been able to talk to her.  I look forward to seeing her on Monday cause Elsey picked up my package should be in this weekend.  Yabba-dabba-doo

Scam Letter to Purina for a guard

Dear Sir:

I recently purchased a 20 lb bag of Purina dog food.  I have been buying this brand regularly for the past few years because … well, Sparky just loves the stuff.  However, when I opened this bag, I noticed a strong smell and odor and Sparky will not eat it.  I would have returned it to the store where I purchased it, but I picked it up while on a shopping trip to Moncton, NB, and I am living in Prince Edward Island.  I don’t like to complain but I have had to buy another bag because my dog won’t eat it.  I will continue to buy Purina but I would like you to know that I am disappointed that I have wasted my money on what was obviously defective product.

Sincerely,

[Guard 3] C. and Sparky

Letter to the Local Radio Station

Dear Sir:

I am an inmate of the PCC (Provincial Correction Center). To date, I have served 12 ½ months of a 24 month sentence.  I have had many troubles in dealing with the management here in that time, and I am writing to you in hopes that you can publicize some of the inmates problems, and bring it to the public’s attention how we are being (mis)treated.  Whenever I have had a problem in the past that could not be resolved to my satisfaction by management.  I have taken my complaints outside by writing to various government officials.  In most cases, I have not received any response.  It seems that nobody wants to get involved.  The only result of my writing these letters is that I have been placed on some sort of institutional blacklist.  And as PEI does not have an Ombudsman, it appears that I am on my own.  There is no person to whom we can turn for help.

I would like to explain some of the situation I am bothered by.  Since I have so much free time I thought it would be to my advantage to try and better my education.   In December of last year, I asked my mother to drop off some Sociology textbooks and addiction (AA) literature.  To date, I have not been allowed to have access to these materials.  I haven’t received any explanation other than that it is the centres policy.  I am not allowed to have books (educational or fiction), magazines, newspapers, or even crossword puzzles brought in.  I can see no logical education? [reason] for this prohibition other than to punish me.  But the more I complain, the harder it is for me to get anything. 

For example, for the past 6 weeks, I have been trying to teach myself French.  The teacher here, John Bradley, has obtained some learning materials from the Department of Education.  I am grateful for this but now that I have gotten a basic understanding of the language I thought that it would benefit me if I were able to go to the Confed[eration] C. Library to view and select from their materials.  I asked for permission to have a French language newspaper brought in (the benefit of a newspaper is that it is written at a grade school level and features articles of general interest and current events).  The casework supervisor, [Counselor] K, promptly denied both requests. * She was not even willing to discuss this with me.  I feel that neither of my requests were unreasonable and I told her so.  That was yesterday. 

Today I have been told again that I can not have a French newspaper, and also that my access to French materials has been further restricted.  Till now, I have have been using it in the library (one hour a day, five days a week is all I am allowed) and taking it back to my cell on the weekend (this is when I get most of my studying done).  Now I am no longer allowed to have access to it.  In the library, one hour – day.  This is not adequate but I’m at a loss as to what I can do about it.  Even some of the guards have told me (presumably) that I am being ‘fucked around’ but none of them are willing to side with an inmate because it could cause problems for themselves. 

I have written to Wes MacAleer but I know from past letters written to him that nothing will be done.  What I would like to see happen that you would discuss this on your call-in program and perhaps ask your listeners what their opinions are about whether inmates should be denied access to education, and if being sent to jail and separated from our families and society is punishment enough or should we also be punished while we are here?

I cannot understand how society benefits from quashing my desire to learn French in a bilingual country such as Canada.  It seems that in here we are expected to sit around watching TV or playing cards all day but an attempt to better oneself is actively discouraged.  I can see that rehabilitation is given a very low priority here.  Even AA meetings are seen as a privilege, with access granted only to the minimum and medium units.  Obviously, the majority of inmates here, whether in max, medium or min have problems with drugs and alcohol and many are here directly as a result of their addictions.

To deny access to Alcoholics Anonymous does not make any sense to me.  Not only that but we are not even allowed to have AA lit[erature].  I am completely baffled by the attitude of the administration towards rehabilitation (It may interest you to know that in 1999, two inmates, George M. and Jessie F., have died of drug overdoses within weeks of being released from here.

Another problem here is strip searches. Inmates are strip-searched on an almost daily basis.  One inmate was even strip-searched when returning from a visit with a minister!  I have been told by inmates who have been told that this sort of harassment does not happen in the Federal system (It was, in fact, a major cause of the riot at Kingston Pen in 1971).  Having contact with the family in the community, with treatment programs outside the institution, access to educational institution would, in my opinion, be beneficial in re-integrating an inmate into society.  The only way to get a pass from here is if a family member dies and even then, getting a pass is difficult (and the inmate is kept in handcuffs at the wake or the funeral).  I fail to see how just letting us sit around watching tv does anything to help prevent an individual from returning to criminal activity.  Given this, you would think that education would be encouraged.  But that isn’t the case here.

Well, I could write pages and pages about the injustices committed on the inmates.  But I hope I have given you enough information for the time being.  I would be interested in talking to you personally but that would be difficult as you are prohibited from contacting the media.  This letter, I have asked one of the guards to sneak out for me.  Thanks for listening.  I hope that you are able to help.  God knows that we need it.

Sincerely,