A toll-free line of support for inmates at provincial and federal institutions in Saskatchewan is expected to be fully up and running by Monday.
The idea for the service comes from inmate advocacy groups Beyond Prison Walls Canada (BPWC) and Inmates for Humane Conditions. BPWC Founder Sherri Maier explained requests can vary from needing money for the canteen, to just needing someone to talk to.
“A lot of people don’t have support from family at all,” she said.
Through her work with Beyond Prison Walls, Maier has traditionally been taking calls in the past on her own personal cell phone, and while she loves what she does, she admitted to paNOW having feelings of burnout.
“Sometimes I can get up to 30 or 40 calls a day on my personal line and that’s a lot,” she said.
While the phone line (1-866-949-0074) will be open seven days a week, and 24 hours a day, Maier acknowledged the phones at the correctional centre are more likely only open from 7:45 a.m. to 10:30 p.m. To help give Maier a break, a woman from the Edmonton area has also volunteered to help take calls.
Maier explained the phone line has actually been running for a couple of days, but noted there were still a few bugs to iron out with respect to the options offered, but expected the support line to be fully operational by Monday. She also noted another advantage of having a 1-800 number is that inmates won’t be charged on their personal tel-mate phone packages.
Inmate fundraising campaign raises over $2,600
Following the January tragic death in Saskatoon of Kimberly Squirrel, a GoFundMe campaign was launched to help inmates with the costs associated with phone packages, vitamins, and food for pregnant inmates, and for transportation funds so that inmates have the resources to find a safe place after release. As of Friday, the campaign has raised over $2,600.
Cory Cardinal, an inmate at the Saskatoon Correctional Centre, and founder of the group Inmates for Humane Conditions released a statement on Thursday, expressing his gratitude for the support.
“As we are codependent on funds, we encourage our supporters to keep donating and contributing to our inmate support fund as we are in the works in trying to raise enough money to buy a vehicle,” he said.
Cardinal explained by having a vehicle, they could pick up inmates and prevent future freezing deaths from happening. In Squirrel’s case, her frozen body was found just days after released from Pine Grove Correctional Centre. The temperature outside at the time of her death was -50C.
With respect to the money raised, Cardinal explained $500 will be given to help support pregnant and female inmates located in segregation at Pine Grove. An additional $500 is being given to find and support the deeply affected family of Kimberly Squirrel.
“I have started releasing payments of $40 to inmates in jails across Saskatchewan including Saskatchewan Penitentiary. On behalf of the many inmates of Saskatchewan, thank you. Rest In Peace Kimberly Squirrel, you are honored,’ he said.
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nigel.maxwell@jpbg.ca
Editor’s note: This story was updated on March 8, 2021, to correct a previous line that Squirrel was released with no confirmed place to stay. According to Squirrel’s release conditions, she did in fact have a confirmed residence to go to.
