Events Planned During Montreal's Week Against Prisons 2013: August 3-11 2013

August 10th marks Prisoners' Justice Day, a day of mourning, remembrance and solidarity with those who have died behind bars. It was launched in 1975 when prisoners at the Millhaven Penitentiary staged a one-day hunger strike to commemorate the death of Edward Nalon, who had bled to death in an administrative segregation cell one year before. To this day, prisoners fast, and refuse to work in honor of those who have died in prison. On the outside, family, friends and allies hold rallies, vigils, and events to demand justice and dignity for prisoners.

Prisoners' Justice Day is a day to denounce the detention, and double punishment of incarceration and deportation of migrants. It is a day to denounce the racist disparities and over-incarceration of indigenous and Black people. It is a day to protest the expansion of the prison system, as the government prepares to lock more people up for longer periods of time. It is a day to call attention to the role prison plays in upholding capitalism and the state. Above all, it is a day to affirm that we can imagine a world in which prisons do not exist and we are working to make that world a reality.

In Montreal, a week of anti-prison and prisoner-support themed events will be held from August 3rd-11th, 2013. Join us for a series of workshops, film screenings, panels and protests to remember the fallen and to stand in solidarity with prisoners' struggles both here and around the world.



Prisoner Letter-Writing Night
Monday August 5, 2013 at 7pm
La Belle Epoque
1984 Wellington (Metro Charlevoix)
A space to exchange information and discuss situations facing different prisoners, and to tangibly express our solidarity by writing to prisoners in a collective setting. The event will include an update on the prisoner hunger strike in California. An informal dinner will be served.


Sex work and Decriminalization
Tuesday, August 6th at 6:30pm
2065, rue Parthenais, suite 404
A presentation by members of Stella, on how the prison system affects sex workers, and strategies on how to keep sex workers out of prison. This space will be for sex workers, their allies, and those interested in engaging the topic of decriminalization in a respectful manner. This presentation will be in French.



Political Prisoners Struggles in Palestine
Wednesday August 7, 6:30pm-8:30pm
GSA Lounge at Concordia, located at 2030 Mackay
Join Tadamon! for a workshop exploring the struggles of political prisoners in Palestine. The historical context of political imprisonment in Palestine will be charted, the realities faced by prisoners will be reviewed, and administrative detention discussed. The workshop will also highlight resistance to political imprisonment  both inside and outside of prisons, including the recent hunger strikes and mass demonstration.  Discussion will then turn to the global BDS campaign against G4S and its complicity in securing Israeli apartheid.  This workshop will be presented in English, with whisper translation available.


CANCELLED
Ongoing Effects of Colonialism in Canada: The Over-Incarceration of Indigenous People
Thursday August 8, 2013 at 7pm
Fine Arts Building of Concordia University,
Room VA-114
1395 Réne-Levesque Ouest (Metro Guy-Concordia)
Indigenous people are vastly over represented in all levels of the prison systems in Canada. While Indigenous people make up 3.8 per cent of the overall population, they make up 23 percent of the prison population in federal institutions and up to 50 per cent of the population in some provincial prisons. The number of Indigenous people in prison has increased by 43 percent in the last five years. The incarceration rates of Indigenous women has increased by 151 percent over the past ten years. Ongoing colonization, racism and socio-economic injustice all contribute to this over representation. This panel will address some of the factors that allow for the over incarceration of Indigenous people in Canada, look at traditional healing and spiritual services available to indigenous prisoners, discuss the application of the Gladue principles, and explore ways in which the criminal justice system is unfit to bring about true justice for Indigenous people.

This event is co-sponsored by Missing Justice.



Prisoners' Justice Day from 1975 to 2013: Stories from Inside and Out
Friday August 9, 2013 at 6:30pm
QPIRG Concordia
1500 Maisonneuve Blvd. Ouest, Suite 204 (Metro Guy-Concordia)
Prisoners' Justice Day started in 1975 in honor of Edward Nalon, who had bled to death in a administrative segregation cell on August 10th 1974. Prisoners in Millhaven Maximum Penitentiary in Ontario refused to work or eat for the day in remembrance of Edward. In March 1976, Robert Landers died in administrative segregation in Millhaven of a heart attack. Robert had been involuntary transferred to Millhaven on account of his activism in Archambault Penitentiary in Quebec. On Aug 10, 1976 thousands of prisoners across Canada staged a one day hunger and work strike in honour of Edward and Robert and since then August 10th has become a traditional day of remembering prisoners who died inside across Canada and internationally.

This event will feature the stories of Alex Hundert and Mandy Hiscocks who were both in provincial prisons on August 10, 2012 as well as stories from the Termite Collective from the past 35 years of prisoners' justice day both in prison and on the outside.



Anti-Capitalist Summer Camp
One-Day Teach-in Against Prisons
Saturday, 10 August 2013, 10am to 5pm
Parc Lafontaine (Sherbrooke or Mont Royal metro) corner Napoleon
Full day of workshops from an anti-capitalist perspective on the theme of prisons.

Childrens' activities and childcare
Free lunch and snacks
Translation EN-FR

Any specific accessibility needs? Please contact us.

Schedule: http://www.clac-montreal.net/en/node/417

This event is organized by the Popular Education Committee of the CLAC
www.facebook.com/events/1375771172646543/
educationpopulaire@clac-montreal.net
www.clac-montreal.net



No Borders, No Prisons! Status for All!
Rally and picnic at the Laval Immigration Detention Centre
Sunday August 11th, 2013
BUS: Parc Metro at 11:15am (limited seating so come on time!)
BIKE: Henri Bourassa Metro at 12:00pm
OR meet us at the Laval Detention Centre between 1pm and 4pm
Bring your kids!
Bring food to share at the picnic!
Suggested donation for bus $5 to $10 (but no one turned away!)

Join us on Sunday August 11th for a family-friendly rally and picnic in front of the Laval Immigration Holding Centre to denounce the unjust and racist detention of immigrants and refugees.

We will be meeting at 11:15am at Parc metro station to bus up to the detention centre, bringing speakers, music, and messages of solidarity to those locked inside. We invite friends and family of those detained, and all those who oppose the racist violence of detention to join us for a rally and picnic outside the Laval detention centre.


Un Chant d'Amour: Film Screening and Letter Writing with the PCP
Sunday August 11, 2013 at 5pm
RATS 9
372 St Catherine West, Suite 530
(Metro Place-des-Arts)
 Join the Prisoner Correspondence Project in a viewing of Jean Genet's only film, the 1950 Un Chant d'Amour, a highly sexualized view of a prison relationship. Afterwards, stick around for a discussion of queer prisoner solidarity, incarceration in Canada, and take a few minutes to write to a current prisoner.