While Im waiting on that parole decision I find myself wondering all sorts of things these days. Today I was wondering how many Canadians, like myself are supporting loved ones in American Prisons ? I know of one other on here,,(Hi and Hugs). There seems to be a whole host of things that come up in this situation and perhaps exchange of information will sometimes help.

Witchlin
(Ontario)

Witchlin,

Hey! Here and accounted for!

I know what you mean about things that come up that are perhaps a bit unique for us being Canadian and our loved ones being in US prisons!

I know that there are a few more of us out there! Come on Canadians - come forward!

There may even be some that we are not aware of!

Good topic!

Teb
(Ontario)

Well that is what I was thinking too and you kind of get caught in a void in the middle sometimes here and I would hate for that to happen to someone. So if we know who we all are, then we can fill that void. Also when I first came here I wasnt quite sure where I actually fit in. I know recently I experienced some things I didnt expect, and there has been some in the past too. Teb has the paint fumes worn off yet ? hehehehe

Witchlin

Hello Witchlin. (Hi Teb.) I have a loved one in a NY State prison. What State is your loved one in?

Hi there Gilly, mine is in Michigan. I guess Im lucky its not that far, well far enough since Im on the east side of Ontario. Glad you posted, hope to talk to you some more.

Witchlin

I am Canadian. My pen pal is in a prison in Florida. (My pen pal is not my "loved one". My spouse is my loved one. My pen pal is "merely" a special person I am perfectly willing to help and support through writing.) There is very little I can contribute here as my experience is small, but I will speak up if I see something I can do. Otherwise, I am over here in the corner, listening. There is much to learn.

sodaigakko,

Now, thank you for introducing yourself here but I really think that you can contribute much to the rest of us...

Please don't just listen... Join in. Especially ask questions if you have them...

I am so happy to hear that you have a special pen pal that you are supporting through writing... It is so nice to know that there are people out there like you that care enough to reach out!

Great to have you here!

I believe beans_mom (Gillian) is also in Canada with a loved one in Texas. Haven't seen her on in a month or so but she drops in.

Gill is in Calgary, Canada and last i spoke with her on the phone she had just gotten her son transferred back here closer to her and his sister.
I need to call her soon and check up on her.

Shan

Hi Sodaigakko,
Well I agree totally with Teb and glad you let yourself be known. It's good to know there are people like you that will support a person so far away. It's truly a gift from the heart.

Witchlin

Hi...it's kate. Haven't posted in so long...
Anyway, Mark (penpal of 12 yrs) is in Ohio....I'm in Ontario. Hoping he'll get out soon.
Take care everyone,
Kate

Wow that is a long time to be a penpal for sure and I hope he does get out soon. Nice to hear from you. Seems we have a few in Ontario now.

Witchlin

Thanks for the welcome witchlinblue. Yeah, it's been a real long time to be a penpal...but he'll be getting out in Oct 2004 (hopefully before!) & it's going to be great to finally meet him!
Take care,
Kate.

I am Canadian (Vancouver, BC) and my husband is incarcerated in Utah. So yup I have had to deal with alot of cross-border issues as I've been doing this for four years now. So it's good to know there are people who will help and ask questions if needed, and if I can help anyone I sure will try.

I am indeed in Calgary and my son Lee is incarcerated in Drumheller which is quite close to here. He was transferred from British Columbia just before Christmas. We have yet to see him as we just received visiting forms, only took 4 months WOW! Then, he loses his visiting privileges so we won't get to see him until June.
David indeed has it right about the Texas connection lol. I was fortunate enough to go to Houston and meet some other mothers with incarcerated children in 2001 I think it was. I am planning to go back at some point as I fell in love with the Texans and their state.
Gillian

Wow, I have a few penpals in the states(3 to be exact ) but my man is in KP!! I too am in Ontario(southwestern) so KP is a long drive almost 6 hours s, so I only see my man once a month if that! All we have is letters and our viists as i can not afford to have him call too! How do you guys get to visit?If you dont mind me asking? How expensive are the phone calls? Are they in far away states? Michigan isnt that far from wherer I grew up (maybe 30 minutes) but still...OUCH! You are all definitly in my prayers! TTYL

Hi from Alberta - husband is in Michigan state prison. It has been 4 + years now. He's up for parole next month and we are hoping and praying this is the end of it. My son is getting married in September - sure would love not to have to go to the wedding alone - but if I must I must. It is a long trip and costly so I only make it once a year. How does everyone like the new rates for the collect calls??? Boy I hope he gets parole. Take care all and God bless

and welcome to PTO. I'm Gillian from Calgary and my son is incarcerated in Drumheller. Where abouts are you in Alberta?
Gillian

im in winnipeg and i have an angel in cross city Florida

Hi everyone! Found this wonderful site today and registered. How marvelous to have finally found a suppport forum for family/friend of a prisoner.
I am new to posting/forums, so please be patient as I am learning.
I am from Texas, transplanted to Alberta with a Canadian husband in Bowden Institution who is awaiting transfer to either Drumheller or Stoney Mountain. If anyone has any information about either one of these "Crowbar Inns", would enjoy hearing about them. As well, if anyone has any questions or are in need of information or just warm positive support...just let me know. There is strength in numbers...Blessings and Peace

Welcome Dragon and strydersarwen!

Good to have you both here! We currently do not have an 'official' Moderator for the Canada Forum so I will step forward and say welcome!

Thanks for the welcome Teb....*s* Hope this posts correctly. Having a hard time getting the posts to go where appropriate!! I'll get there :wave:

thanks for the warm welcome..its great to have found this place everyone here has been awesome,the support is wonderfull and the imformation is great...thank you for having me..

I am in Montreal and my boyfriend is in New York City :( it's a 6 hour drive and I miss him TERRIBLY, I'd be a lot more at ease if he were at least in Canada

Nice to meet you and welcome to PTO.
I used to live in Brandon, still go back to visit most years lol
Gillian

Hello LOL
Welcome to PTO. So very nice to have met you. Hopefully we will hook up for a coffee in the near future.
Gillian

Hello and welcome to PTO.
Do you get to visit?
Gillian

I will get to visit him very soon!!!!!


Originally posted by beans_mom
Hello and welcome to PTO.
Do you get to visit?
Gillian

Hello
I am in Ontario .. and I have a few penplas in the US prisons as well as one who is becoming closer to me ..tho we talk of the issues of the immigration ... ugh
but great to be here , arri

Hi all,

Located in Ontario while other is incarcerated in CO.

I am in toronto and my man is in AZ.. I have been there twice, it is cheaper to fly out of buffalo then from TO .. so I take the drive there and save a bundle, so I can go more often, I try for four times a year.
I am fortunate as i work for myself from home or wherever I am ,.. so I can go and work from there too
It is worth the hassles and it is all for love

Hi,, Sue from London ontario here..
I write to 3 men from the states.. 2 on death row, and 1 serving life...
I doubt I will ever meet the 2 death row friends..one in texas , the other in Florida....I will probably meet lifer friend, he thinks he will be tranfered closer to me..he even has hopes of getting out soon and visiting Canada ( good luck with this)... All 3 men are special and very different from each other..
Now I have a question.. sometimes I do stupid things,,hehe..
My lifer guy, he sends me mail with small maps, you know , so I can see where he is and how far he is from me...not a clue where he gets these maps.. some are pretty bad.. well I went to map quest and printed him out a map showing exactly how to get there to my house.. exactly..the time it takes.. where to turn etc.. Thought he would get a huge kick out of this...
well I didn't think about what the guards or the letter readers might think..someone sending a lifer a detailed map on how to get from the jail to somewhere eles... ..not quite an escape plan ..LOL.. Now would he get into trouble for this? Will he even get this... it may have been a bad idea now that I think about it...

hey there
they will take the map out as contraband as they are not allowed them, they can return the whole letter as having contraband to you, and notify him that it was returned.
it is hard to see that this would be an issue but in there mind it could be a map to your place to use to escape lol
he should not get in trouble just a note that there was contraband in his mail ,, they can send out tons of stuff .. but what we send in is what is watched... it is amazing
I send postcards with toronto stuff to give ideas of where i live etc,,
it was a harmless mistake you might want to write to tell him in case in he gets the contraband notice as my guy is not even told when letters are returned ..

strictlyred and arriana - Welcome!!!

I am an Ontario member too! Good to have you here with us!

I'm from Montreal and my boyfriend is in the Baltimore County Detention Center.

My fiance is in Seatac Federal Detention Center in Seattle, I live in Vernon, BC. I don't know how people do this. It has only been 3 weeks but I am going crazy over here. We were supposed to get married on August 7th of this year and we obviously had to postpone that. I don't know how more women don't lose there minds. I think I am well past that stage already.

I’m in Alberta and my boyfriend is incarcerated Florida. I can’t wait until he gets out and we can finally be together. Were in a bad situation because I don’t know how he is going to move here with a criminal record and I'm not that fond of the idea of moving to the States but could do it if I had to. Our first choice would be for him to come here and I’m sure going to find a way to do it!
Still got lots of time! :angry:

HI all


I'm in eastern ontario and my man is in a facility in NY State

I havent' seen him at all in over 2 weeks and haven't touched in at all in over a month because he was in canada with me for 4 years violated his parole and Canada didn't let us have any contact visits for him and I or with the children.

This is very hard on us, we were talking about marriage and we still are talking about marriage, probably while he is still locked up and then after that start the process for moving down there on a K3 visa.

He is Ononada county jail right now, next week probable being moved to Elmira until they find a spot for him in whatever state facility he will spend the year that he is being sentenced to.

Hi all.....
I have a question about your country and inmates.My husband is incarcerated in Ohio and I live in Mich and see him in summers only(for the last 10) years.Does Canada prohibit paroled SA`s from entering Canada and becoming citizens there?I would love to leave the US.Its going to hell in a hand basket! Please let me know.Hope this isnt too naive a question.

If neither of you are Canadian .. with no one to sponsor you then I do not see it as a possiblity for you ... you need a tie into the country
sorry . or have a job skill that is needed here ..

Hi all, Eastern Ontario here. Has anyone here married a US citizen while they were incarcerated? Any info to avoid immigration difficulties would be wonderful. Thanks!!! :)

Hello all!!

I am a Canadian citizen who has immigrated to California years and years ago. I live in Cali right now, and my husband is incarcerated here in California.

We are planning to move back to Canada within a couple of years of his release, and I am very curious about the process that we'll need to go through to get him up there.

I remain a Canadian citizen, my daughter (born in the US) is a dual, and my husband is a US citizen. I will be returning to take over a family business up there.

Anyone have any good (or bad) news for us?

Thanks!

Hi all, Eastern Ontario here. Has anyone here married a US citizen while they were incarcerated? Any info to avoid immigration difficulties would be wonderful. Thanks!!!
well, we haven't married yet, Marty and I have been together for 5 years and were talking marriage before he got locked up, we were gonna try to get him legalized in canada but he spent too much time up here and immigration found him and now he isn't allowed back up here.

So we are gonna marry while he is locked up and then the kids and I will work on getting the K3 spousal visa with his family as co-sponsers so we can go down there.

he just got transfered to elmira reception from county and we are just waiting for him to get transfered to where he will spend most of his time, to get married and then hopefully the kids and I will be down there just a little before he should be getting out as long as he gets his parole. he is in for 1 1/3 to 4 years and his first parole hearing is august of 2005.

when you marry an american, you still have to go back to your home country until you get a visa to move to the states.

Thanks unikorn. I would be living here in Canada till his release also. I know I'll need a visa to move there but what do I need to just get married????

Just to get married while he is incarerated, you need to show you are free to marry, he has to talk to his counsellor and ask permission , there are papers to fill out, fees to pay, marriage license to get, can't remember everything right now. There is a prison weddings forum with lots of good info for getting married.

It will all depend on what the rules are at the facility where he is. Get him to talk to his counselor there to find out all the info and procedures

Thanks unikorn. I appreciate your help:D

I just signed up and this whole thing is so new to me, I'm terrified at being apart from my husband. It's only been a month and it feels like a lifetime so far. He has been indicted with posession and intent to distribute in Montana. I am ill and not able to travel and I feel like I'm never going to see him again the prosecutor seems bent on totally destroying him and we only have public defender. Has anyone had any good luck or heard of good luck with the treaty transfer between US and Canada, anyone tried and been refused? He has no record, has mental health and medical problems a job to return to and me and the kids and an extended family that supports him. His hearing is coming up end of September and I don't know how I'm going to hold it together. Thanks so much, I'm having such a hard time with my illness and he has always been here to help me.

Just wanted to say hello and say what a true blessing finding this site has been...and to find a group of Canadians with loved ones in the US is even more amazing !!!!

I have a friend on deathrow in San Quentin. I am fairly new to the situation...I answered a penpal request about 4 months ago. In that time we've exchanged over 60 letters and have grown quite close. His appeals are coming to an end and we figure we have about 3 years at most.

The roller coaster ride this experience has been is way more than I expected. And while he is supportive and we are trying to work through his impending execution...it is difficult. I feel alone, most certainly I have no friends who can understand.

I live in two worlds...my every day life and "our" world...where I guess we have built a sort of romantic relationship. We both know what we are capable of...and there is no delusions about spending our lives together. We just enjoy whatever time God will afford us. I continue to date in "my" world. It is wonderful to have someone who appreciates me for me...he's a real friend and a sounding board for anything and everything.

Lately the topic of a visit has come up. I want to go more than anything and will go. I am just a little scared. I have never experienced this kind of situation before. He sent me a visitation form and I have no idea what to do with it. Do I send it right away? Or wait until the visit gets closer?

Is there anyone else out there with a penpal/friend/loved one on deathrow? I would love to share our experiences....

Best wishes

Welcome MarnieandMickey and IceBlueSparkle-(I only came across your posts now) Re. the treaty transfer you were asking about Marnie- have you contacted the Canadian Consul in Minnesota (that office also serves Montana apparantly).

I'm not sure if you guys want to hear from an American.........

But I have a Canadian husband in jail here in the US. He is from Montreal. I am from New York

:) Hello, I'm new to this site and find it very comforting and informative. I'm in Ontario and I have a very close male friend in Florida doing life. Just wanted to say hello to everyone!:)

Of course we would like to hear from an American Vella!! Welcome.. is your husband an alien? Or has he become citizen or what? Does he face possible deportation back to Canada when he is released from prison?

As for me... i have a loved one in Texas ;)

Hello to one and all :dance:
Just wanted to introduce myself. I live in the Vancouver area and I have several pen pals in the US. None have developed into romantic relationships yet, but you never know what the future has in store.
I think it would be great for all of us to share the things we learn about dealing with long distance relationships. I have lots to learn!

Keep smiling :)

angel-of-peace :love:

Hey everybody! I'm Canadian and my fiance' is American in a canadian prison!

Just wanted to say hello to everyone again.....I have a VERY close friend in FL doing life and it's comforting to know I'm not the only one going threw this stuff.....I'm usually a very private person , but find it .....very comforting to come to this site...........If anyone wants to ask me anything , please feel free to message me privately....It is very comforting to read everyone's posts that are Canadians who correspond with American Inmates........luv u peeps......

Hi all, I'm in Southern Ontario. My brother is at SeaTac right now in Washington, but should be moving this month, maybe Lompoc in Cali, or someplace in Oregon. Anyone have any specifics on the whole treaty agreement process??

justanothergirl- Have you checked the Can. Government website with Transfer Treaty info.http://www.csc-scc.gc.ca/text/prgrm/inttransfer/trans_e.shtml.

Hi all, I am new to PTO but I too am Canadian and have a loved one in the U.S.A. I am in Ontario (Toronto) and he is in Arizona (Buckeye).

I'd love to hear more from other Canadians and how they deal with the cross-border issues, travel, phone call costs, etc.

Hi, I'm new also, and in the same situation...a Canadian living on the west coast with a friend in a Federal institution in New York. He's only been in for a couple of weeks, so I'm still learning, and don't really have anything valuable to offer - but if and when I do find information about mail, calls and visits for Canadians, I'll be happy to post it here.

Welcome LGLG!