COVID-19 update for correctional employees: February 12, 2021

This content is a message to Correctional Service Canada (CSC) staff from CSC's Commissioner.

I wanted to thank you again this week for following the Correctional Service Canada's (CSC's) infection and prevention measures. There are currently only nine active COVID-19 cases at one institution: Drumheller Institution. Other cases elsewhere in the country have all been resolved.

Your efforts are making a difference. We are able to minimize the introduction and spread of this contagious virus in CSC institutions by:

• wearing a mask
• staying two metres from others, and
• using hand sanitizer/washing our hands often throughout the day

Black History Month

As you know, February is Black History Month. It is a good time to reflect on the many contributions of Black Canadians and the challenges they continue to face. It is great to see the various virtual events happening in the regions facilitating discussions around equity and diversity.

On January 22, the Nova Institution Employment Equity and Diversity Committee organized a virtual symposium on Systemic Racism. The keynote speaker was Calvin Lawrence, a retired Royal Canadian Mounted Police with over 36 years experience and the author of Black Cop. At the interactive symposium, Mr. Lawrence talked about his experiences with systemic racism, shared insights and lessons learned. He also provided concrete ways we can all take action to create positive change to tackle systemic racism in our personal lives and at work.

As we continue to honour Black History Month, I encourage you to participate in a virtual webinar to learn more about the history of Black Canadians. You can sign up for one of these informative sessions on the Hub.

New IT equipment

In my February 4 message, I featured the new information technology (IT) equipment procured to support community sites and institutional staff. The message should have highlighted that the Information Management Services (IMS) team did this work across all six regions. This was a great achievement and I wanted to specifically thank IMS for all their hard work to make sure staff have the right equipment to do their jobs during the pandemic.

John Howard Society Week

Next week is John Howard Society Week. The John Howard Society fills an important role in helping offenders reintegrate into society and educating the public in the area of criminal justice. Visit their website to learn more.

National Flag Day

This Monday, February 15, is the anniversary of the day the red and white maple leaf,  our Canadian Flag, was first raised on Parliament Hill in 1965. Our national flag is a symbol of our common values of:

• equality
• diversity, and
• inclusion

So, raise the flag on Monday and celebrate what being Canadian stands for!

Please continue to look after yourselves and stay healthy. Wearing your mask inside and outside of work is helping stop the spread of the virus in our communities and keeping everyone safe. Thank you all for continuing to play your part!