“Inside the walls, time does not pass quickly. The calendar is becoming important, if only to put an X on each day that ends… At the moment, we are being called to find out when the prison calendar will finally be distributed! »
The answer is in mid-February, adds Chantal Montmorency.
I spoke with the executive director of the Quebec Association for the Promotion of the Health of People Using Drugs (AQPSUD) to find out more about one of its prevention tools: the prison calendar. Although many are unaware of his existence, he accompanies many individuals in prison every year…
A calendar as a crutch.
It fascinates me as much as it touches me.
I mean, what is a calendar, for us? The opportunity to show some photos of animals or sexy people? Pieces of paper to write down banal appointments and birthdays that we fear to forget?
For others, it is a beacon of hope and a reminder that STBBIs (sexually transmitted and blood-borne infections) must be avoided in prison. It puts things into perspective though…
To better understand the phenomenon, you must first know that at AQPSUD, we believe in harm reduction. All of the people who work for the community organization are or have been drug users. They give in the promotion of health, the prevention of STBBIs, then the improvement of the living conditions of people who consume.
Among them, those who are detained.
Each year, the AQPSUD therefore produces a calendar designed by and for the people who are in some fifteen detention centers in Quebec and New Brunswick. All artwork and slogans are created by detained individuals who are then paid for their work.
They receive $25 for a sentence and $50 for a drawing, sums deposited in their canteen. “It’s not negligible,” says Chantal Montmorency. People in prison are very poor. »
The calendar therefore becomes a modest source of income, but a great source of pride and commitment.
“Our slogan is ‘Nothing about us without us’, adds Chantal Montmorency. Detainees are involved in the whole process! For example, last year, a man called us to say that he would have liked the phases of the moon to be indicated in the calendar… Well, they are in the 2023 edition.”
Beyond the lunar cycle, several important information can be found throughout the pages – it debunks certain myths, provides health advice, specifies what to do in the event of an overdose, etc. Then, each month, there are the words of the detainees…
Among the current slogans and those of past editions: “Moderation is advised and responsibility is in order. » « Protect yourself » « Don’t give up! “The health of your heart depends on the health of your head. Before exploding, the key is to talk about it. » « Don’t control your girlfriend while you are in jail! »
“Even incarcerated, people are aware of what is happening, believes Chantal Montmorency. They know that this type of violence is increasing among the population and they want to talk about it. Whatever the subject, when it is said by the people concerned for the people concerned, we reach the target much better. »
The works and slogans that appear in the calendar are selected by a committee made up of Chantal Montmorency, employees and members of AQPSUD, then representatives of the Ministry of Health and the Ministry of Public Security. These ensure that no image hides any reference to the crime and that all the information offered is correct.
Copies are then distributed to some fifteen detention centres, halfway houses, community organizations and to individuals who request them. All for free or with a voluntary contribution.
But it is only one of the tools designed by and for people who use drugs and are incarcerated. For example, AQPSUD publishes the magazine the injector, three times a year, and a very popular card game in prison. The team is also working on a tarot game – the demand is there! – and on a book of activities promoting health which this time will be distributed in federal penitentiaries…
“It impresses me that you are juggling two major taboos. Drug use and incarceration are frightening themes.
— It’s not sexy, I know, replies the director general of AQPSUD. But it is important.
“What would you like us to understand better about this?”
— That incarcerated drug users are often imprisoned because they are poor or because they are not white. Me, I’m a drug user, but I’m white and I don’t have a tattoo on my face, so I don’t get bothered about that! Many people who are criminalized do so because they have a certain profile… We must not forget that. »
Note. That’s what I’ll think about when I move into March on my calendar.