COVID-19 update for correctional employees: June 10, 2022

We continue to open up our sites to more activities. This is great news! However, some institutions are still experiencing outbreaks and we must continue to adapt our approaches accordingly. Thank you for your continued efforts to keep our sites as safe as possible.

As we know, masks are an important layer of protection to prevent the spread of COVID-19. They help to protect ourselves and others when we are unable to practice physical distancing. 

In our institutions and Community Correctional Centres, we are still required to wear masks at all times given that we are frequently working closely with others. However, for non-congregate living settings, including our administrative sites, the Public Service Occupational Health Guidance has been updated to allow masks to be removed when 2 metres physical distancing can be maintained at a workstation or in a meeting. Staff should continue to wear medical masks indoors when physical distancing is difficult to maintain i.e. :

• elevator
• hallway 
• entrance

While masks can be removed in certain settings, we encourage you to continue to wear yours if that is your preference, even when not required. 

• Read the Public Service Occupational Health Guidance

Action plan for recruitment of Indigenous employees

CSC is committed to creating and maintaining a diverse workforce that is reflective of the population that we serve. Recently, the Sub-Committee on Indigenous Corrections established a Tiger Team to develop recruitment and retention strategies to support a greater Indigenous workforce presence at all levels of the organization. I have asked Human Resource Management to start working on similar initiatives to address the needs of the Black offender population. I encourage you to look at the action plan to learn more about the priorities and commitments to further CSC’s goals for Indigenous peoples representation.

William St Pierre Hughes Correctional Manager Award

The William St Pierre Hughes Correctional Manager Award is a formal award to recognize correctional managers who strive for:

• excellence
• inspire others
• encourage innovation, and
• empower their staff to do their job well

This award is presented annually to a selected recipient from each region who has demonstrated the merits of the award. I am pleased to announce the recipients for 2021–2022: 

• Denis Daigle, Dorchester Penitentiary, Atlantic Region
• André Lefrançois, Donnacona Institution, Quebec Region
• Blair Pond, Millhaven Institution, Ontario Region
• Bonnie Nordin, Stony Mountain Institution, Prairie Region
• Pasquale Corrado, Matsqui Institution, Pacific Region 

Congratulations Denis, André, Blair, Bonnie and Pasquale, and thank you for your hard work and leadership! 

National Public Service Week 

Next week is National Public Service Week! The week celebrates the valuable work of public servants and promotes pride in and recognition of the Public Service of Canada. 

I would like to thank you for your ongoing commitment and dedication in service to Canadians. I continue to be impressed with your ingenuity and innovation in helping meet challenges and enabling us to fulfill our mandate. You should all be proud of the accomplishments you achieve every day to keep Canadians safe. Take time next week to participate in activities happening in your region that recognize your hard work. Happy National Public Service Week! 

CSC Appreciation Month

Last week, we kicked off CSC Appreciation Month. This is a terrific opportunity to share how much you value your colleagues’:

• contributions
• creativity, and
• hard work

I would also like to highlight how important it is to  embody the values that are essential to accomplishing our Mission, such as:

• respect
• professionalism
• integrity, and
• fairness

By living these values, we all work together to shape our organizational culture.  

Is there is someone you work with who sets a positive example? Take a moment to acknowledge the work that they do on the virtual appreciation board or on the appreciation bulletin boards set up at sites across the country.

Pride Season launches

On June 1, the Progress Pride Flag was raised on Parliament Hill to mark the beginning of Pride Season, which takes place from June to September. The raising of the flag in our nation’s capital is a reminder that discrimination based on:

• sexual orientation
• gender identity, and
• gender expression

has no place in our country. 

The Pride background is now available if you would like to use it for MS Teams meetings:

• Pride background

Read the statement from the Honourable Marci Ien, Minister for Women and Gender Equality and Youth:

• Statement by Minister Marci Ien to Mark the Start of Canada’s Pride Season

Indigenous Inmates contribute to Ukrainian Canadian community

To express support for people affected by the war in Ukraine, Indigenous inmates at Archambault Institution created traditional objects, such as:

• beaded bracelets
• dream catchers
• moccasins, and
• a wampum with the colours of the Ukrainian flag

Their gifts were sent to the Ukrainian Canadian Congress and will be distributed to Ukrainians who are displaced in Winnipeg. Thank you to all of you who helped make this thoughtful gesture possible.