TORONTO:

The tsunami disaster in South Asia has sparked widespread generosity in Canada, even among the nation’s most hardened criminals, federal prison officials said. Fourteen prisons across the country have raised money from their inmate populations to support relief efforts by the Red Cross and other aid organisations. Although the Canadian $4,200 gathered to date is low compared with some multimillion-dollar donations, it is still an incredible effort for prisoners who have little in the way of income, said Diane Russon, a spokeswoman for Correctional Services of Canada.