Today we heard from one prisoner inside Barton Jail who is going into his sixth day of hunger strike. He is demanding better conditions in the jail, including access to mail, healthcare, programs, edible food, and an end to the hyper-inflated prices of phone and canteen services.

He recorded an audio statement which is linked here:

He has asked that people please make calls to both the Barton Jail and the Ontario Solicitor General (in charge of Ontario Corrections) to demand immediate changes. Sylvia Jones (Solicitor General): 416 326-5000
Barton Jail (Ask for Superintendents Office): 905-523-8800

We also heard from several other prisoners who have ended their hunger strikes after having their demands partially met. It seems that the prison administration responded quickly to the hunger strike and the solidarity actions from people outside, scrambling to make certain concessions. Some of the inedible frozen meals that have been served during the pandemic will be removed from the menu, and most importantly visits will be reinstated!

Re-starting visits is a huge win for prisoners as they haven’t been able to visit loved ones for over three months. However with this win comes a new, more restricted visiting process. The prisoners were told they have to choose three people who they can potentially visit with, the visitors have to call to book an appointment. There will now be only one visitor allowed in at a time. Previously prisoners could have multiple visitors at a time and there was no need to book a visit time in advance or have them approved. Anyone could just stop in and visit during daily visiting hours. Any bureacracy at Barton Jail takes a notoriously long time and these new restrictions will inevitably be a massive barrier for prisoners to see their loved ones.

These restrictions to visits (like most of the changes coming during the pandemic) will make life more miserable for prisoners. Though surely these changes to visits are under the guise of reducing risk of COVID-19 it is clear that the jail is using the pandemic as an excuse to unnneccesarily and permanently tighten control over prisoners lives. Forcing prisoners to choose three potential visitors and making visitors book ahead does nothing to create a more sanitary environment. Meanwhile the staff neglect to enact simple changes like consistent access to soap, sanitation, an end to overcrowding and repairs to the ventilation system.

Luckily prisoners and supporters alike have proven we can and will fight unliveable conditions inside the jail. These small wins are proof that resistance inside the prison and out is working. Keep an eye on our social media for updates on the ongoing hunger strike, and on whether or not the administration follows through on their promises for change.

1) We want a diverse range of healthy, cooked food — no more premade trays.
2) We want an end to the rotating lockdowns.
3) We want visits reinstated — as they were .
4) We want our mail delivered quickly and in full.
5) We want consistent access to soap
6) We want speedy repairs to necessary infrastructure to function
7) We want an end to unaffordable canteen and phone services

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