Commissioner's update for correctional employees: January 20, 2025

You may have seen our new web page and social media posts to promote drone awareness around our institutions.

• Taking action against illegal drone activity - Canada.ca

Last fall, the Correctional Operations and Programs Sector worked with union partners to develop a handout for community engagement. Our operational staff from institutions, along with local police partners, are using these handouts to create awareness for community members living and working near our institutions, asking them for help in reporting drones or suspicious activity around our institutions. 

Work continues to support you in stopping the introduction of drugs and contraband into our institutions. We are procuring and testing different drone detection technology at our sites, and we are now using body scanners and will be installing more at additional sites. We continue to invest in intelligence activities.

This public campaign is another way to support the efforts you make every single day. You will continue to see posts on our Facebook and LinkedIn pages in the coming weeks.

I encourage you to consider sharing these in your local networks to increase public awareness of illegal drone activity near our CSC properties. Please remember to be respectful and professional if commenting on these or other social media posts in line with Commissioner's Directives and Values and Ethics Code for the Public Service.

Bell Let’s Talk Day

Wednesday is Bell Let’s Talk Day. Talking about mental health can be a sensitive and difficult topic for many of us. I believe that joining the conversation can help increase awareness and end the stigma around mental illness.

• Centre of Expertise on Mental Health in the Workplace

Open conversations about our wellness contribute to a healthy and respectful workplace and each and every one of us has the power and responsibility to create positive change.

As you know, the work that we do is hard and isn’t for everyone. Every week in my message, I reiterate how proud I am of our staff, your resilience and your commitment and dedication. While working in corrections can be tough, it is very rewarding, but it does come with its own set of challenges that can impact mental health, particularly for our front-line staff.

Seeking support is a sign of strength. I want to remind you that if you need support or someone to listen, several resources are available to you:

• EAP referral agents (Internal Link)
• Employee Assistance Program (Internal Link)
• 9-8-8: Suicide Crisis Helpline

Bill Staubi 2SLGBTQIA+ Leadership Award

Last December we welcomed back retired employee, Bill Staubi, to celebrate his career, his accomplishments and to announce a new award in his name. Bill’s strong leadership helped CSC, and the community, be a more inclusive, welcoming space for everyone.

A reminder that there is still time to nominate someone for the Bill Staubi 2SLGBTQIA+ Leadership Award. Do you know an employee who has made a lasting and substantial impact by actively supporting the 2SLGBTQIA+ community within CSC? You have until Friday, January 24 to complete and submit your form.

The recipient of the award will be announced in May.

Recent seizures of contraband and unauthorized items

This year, in an effort to highlight some of the fantastic work our staff are doing to prevent illegal items from entering our institutions, I will be highlighting in my messages recent seizures from across the country. I have heard from you over the past year that you would like communications to reflect more of these types of accomplishments by our front-line staff. We are proud to shine a light on your successes and let your colleagues know about the impressive work that is being done to keep our institutions and communities safe.

On January 1, a package containing contraband and unauthorized items, institutionally valued at $77,000, was seized at Collins Bay Institution. The items seized included tobacco, marijuana, shatter (cannabis concentrate), Oxycontin pills, a cell phone, and cell phone accessories.

Between January 4 and 7, packages containing contraband and unauthorized items including marijuana and tobacco were seized at Warkworth Institution. The total estimated institutional value of these seizures is $61,210.

As well, on January 13, a package containing contraband was seized at Joyceville Institution, institutionally valued at $79,785. The contraband seized included tobacco, marijuana, shatter (cannabis concentrate), hashish and cellphone accessories.

Thank you to our employees at these institutions for your vigilance and hard work.

And thanks to all of you for your dedication each and every day.

“Every job is a self-portrait of the person who did it. Autograph your work with excellence.”