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“Canadian prison officials have said an inmate’s successful reintegration into the community requires at least some education beyond the high school level. But taking university or college courses inside Canadian prisons has become extremely difficult — and in some cases impossible.” notes the Toronto Star (.docx) in an investigative piece that came out in March.

The Star explains that the problem is “the federal government does not allow prisoners access to the internet, while paper correspondence courses have been almost entirely eliminated.”

People in Canada's federal prisons are prevented from using the internet. This stops them from getting an education. A computer screen shows a diploma and hat behind bars.

Education isn’t the only issue. WriteOn! a volunteer-run organization that CFSC has supported financially and done events with, notes having received, “hundreds of letters from incarcerated people across Canada who request all kinds of information, including general legal information, educational resources and information about supports and programs that can benefit them in preparation for their release.”

WriteOn! has started a petition calling on Canada to let incarcerated people have access to the Internet. This would help “to improve their access to educational resources, including being able to take college/university courses, access career information, work on personal goals, and reduce isolation.”