Dear About Time,

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My name is Lanie and I am an inmate at Dame Phyllis Frost Centre. For the past year or so, it’s been getting harder for mail to get through. I’ve been here for nine years and I’ve never had a problem with mail. I don’t understand – they already have the dogs go over it to see if it’s got contraband in it. They x-ray it too if need be. They want us to work on our mental health and stay connected to the outside world and to other people, but how can we do that if our mail gets stopped? I’m worried what else will stop – will we continue to be able to get books, watch TV or even dream?

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I love this newspaper and enjoy reading it from front to back and back to front. I really enjoy looking at the artworks. By the way, you published one of my artworks, Deep Ocean. Thank you for that. I am very proud of that artwork. I taught myself to do art as I was severely bullied and abused, mentally and physically, growing up and until this very day and I find it is a good escape for my mental health. It helps me cope with all the stuff that goes on here, in this place I’ve called home for the past nine years. I have a minimum of six years left to go and then hopefully I can leave this place behind me. I’m not sure where I will restart my life once I’m out, but I guess I still have time to sort that out.

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Well, thank you and keep up the wonderful work.

Lanie.