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The Book Auction to Support Prisoners is now OPEN! Tell your friends! Tell your enemies! And please B I D ! 
http://batsp.ca 
Now, why we are raising funds for prisoners -- some facts about prison under the Canadian state: a thread
http://batsp.ca Now, why we are raising funds for prisoners -- some facts about prison under the Canadian state: a thread
More than 30% of prisoners are Indigenous, when Indigenous people are 5% of the country's population https://www.theguardian.com/world/2020/jan/22/one-third-canada-prisoners-indigenous-report
Indigenous women account for 42% of women in custody, and Indigenous girls account for 60% of girls in custody. Indigenous women are the fastest growing prisoner population in federal prisons. https://www150.statcan.gc.ca/n1/en/pub/85-002-x/2018001/article/54972-eng.pdf?st=BMCpEdJR
7.3% of prisoners are Black, when Black people compose 3.5% of the country’s population. Black prisoners are more likely to be placed in max security & least likely to get bail despite being at lower risk for re-engaging in criminalized acts after release https://www.oci-bec.gc.ca/cnt/rpt/oth-aut/oth-aut20131126-eng.aspx
Between 40%–70% of prisoners in provincial and territorial jails and prisons are being held on remand, which means that they have not yet stood trial, and that many of our prisons house more “legally innocent” people than “legally guilty.” https://edmontonjournal.com/news/crime/70-per-cent-of-prisoners-in-alberta-are-in-remand-the-highest-in-canada
The maximum prisons spend per day per prisoner on food is set at $5.41; hunger and poor food are regularly the cause of prison protests, hunger strikes, and violence. https://www.oci-bec.gc.ca/cnt/comm/press/press20171031-eng.aspx
The maximum pay a federally sentenced prisoner may receive for work performed in prison is $6.90 per day. This rate was set in 1981. https://www.nationalmagazine.ca/en-ca/articles/law/in-depth/2019/all-work-and-low-pay#:~:text=Today%2C%20inmates%20can%20expect%20between,other%20deductions%20for%20outstanding%20fines
Phone calls from Ontario provincial jails cost $1 per local call and $30 for a 20-minute long-distance call; most phone calls made are long-distance. In Ontario, there is a 20-minute cap on all phone calls provincial prisoners make. https://www.cbc.ca/radio/asithappens/as-it-happens-tuesday-edition-1.5443076/company-behind-bell-let-s-talk-profits-off-vulnerable-inmates-through-phone-deal-with-jails-lawyer-1.5444598
In 1 province over 1 month this summer, there were no less than five prison hunger strikes, protesting conditions including: dirty clothes, lack of clean drinking water, inedible food, lack of access to soap, lack of access to mail, lack of access to books https://cp-ep.org/july-ocdc-hunger-strike-ends/
More facts here: https://www.bookauctiontosupportprisoners.ca/why-this-auction/ and please visit and follow the prisoner's rights organizations we are supporting: @CPEPgroup and @letstalkjails and @BooksforInmates
And thanks @debdundas and @TorontoStar for telling the story of how this auction came about: https://www.thestar.com/entertainment/books/2020/09/27/authors-step-up-for-inmates-in-need-with-book-auction.html
Plz bid! 
http://Batsp.ca
http://Batsp.ca
