In recognition of Prisoners’ Justice Day, August 10, 2022, an annual, international, day of remembrance for those who have died behind bars, CFRC Prison Radio took over the airwaves at CFRC 101.9 FM in Kingston, Ontario, and CJAI 92.1 FM on Amherst Island from 4 to 10pm. Along with our special content, in the form of interviews, poetry readings, archival audio, and special guests and songs, we played song requests and messages of love, support and solidarity going out to local prisoners, many of whom fasted and refused work to mark PJD. Thank you to everyone who made contributions to the show, to everyone who listened, called in and sent messages of love and support during our 14th broadcast & thanks to CFRC, CJAI and to everyone behind the mic & behind the scenes that made it happen!
Here is the audio archive:
Contents of the archive (hour, minute, second):
0:00:00 – Introduction: What is Prisoner’s Justice Day?
0:27:38 – Readings from Luke from back issues of Tightwire, the publication produced by women incarcerated at the former Prison for Women in Kingston, Ontario, between the 1970s and 1990s.
00:37:45 – A live version of Faith Nolan’s ‘Detention Order Blues.’
0:43:17 – Audio from the Archives 1: Steve Staplis interviews David Mulligan, head of the Vancouver Prisoner’s Right group, about deaths behind bars. Aired 1981 on Radio Peace.
0:54:26 – A reading of the poem “Freedom and It’s Price” by Glen Landers, who died after being shot off the perimeter fence and left to bleed to death at Millhaven Institution in 1977. Along with his brother Bobby, they were major influences on Prisoner’s Justice Day and other protests by prisoners at Millhaven.
1:01:15 – Audio from the Archives 2: CBC Archives – Patrick talks about the 1981 Matsqui prison riot.
1:06:50 – Recording of Cory Cardinal reading his poem ‘A Warrior’s Expression.’ Rest in Power, Cory.
1:16:40 – “Beyond My FPS,” sent in by Christophe, now partially-free, who runs the blog Freedom Is A Must (“Real talk, from a real prisoner, doing real time, in a real systemically racist system.”)
1:30:46 – Mr.ESQ: Prisoner’s Justice Day
1:35:21 – Audio from the Archives 3: “Pacific Report.” Special episode on the closure of British Columbia Penitentiary, called The Stone Cage. Aired in 1983. This clip features interviews with two ex-inmates about their experiences.
1:47:30 – Interview with Laurel Claus-Johnson about the P4W Memorial Collective and their annual Prisoners’ Justice Day Healing Circle at the former site of the Prison for Women
2:06:12 – Special guest hosts Bailey and Cedar talk about the Escaping Tomorrow’s Cages group, resisting prison expansion, and community solidarity with the incarcerated in Ontario.
2:29:45 – A reading of the poem “Out of Time” by Glen Landers.
2:32:34 – Audio from the Archives 4: Claire Culhane on Vancouver Co-Op in 1977, speaking about the importance of community support for the incarcerated and struggles for Indigenous spirituality and expression inside federal prisons.
2:42:53 – Interview with Donald, ex-prisoner and Prisoner’s Justice Day organizer from Montreal.
3:13:05 – Prisoner’s Justice Day Memorial: reading out the names of those who have died behind bars.
4:25:46 – Reading of a story, “Blue Guitar” sent in by the wife of a prisoner who died tragically beyond bars 3 years ago.
4:37:40 – Requests and messages from listeners, supporters and families of the incarcerated in the Kingston area.