COVID-19 update for offenders and their families: August 5, 2022

Thank you for remaining vigilant and following our infection prevention and control measures, especially while we continue to see contagious variants circulate in communities across the country. It is important to continue our efforts to prevent the spread in our institutions and workplaces.

National Peacekeepers’ Day

August 9 is National Peacekeepers’ Day. This is an opportunity to honour Canadian peacekeepers, past and present, involved in peace operations around the world, who promote democracy, human rights, and respect for rule of law. I have great pride and respect for the CSC employees who have made important contributions to advance peace and correctional reform in countries moving from conflict to peace. I am proud of CSC’s role as co-chair of the Group of Friends of Corrections in Peace Operations, which provides advice and support with correctional issues relating to United Nations peace operations. 

International Day of the World’s Indigenous Peoples

August 9 is International Day of the World's Indigenous Peoples, which is an opportunity to raise awareness and protect the rights of Indigenous populations around the world.

Respecting Indigenous cultural views of justice and reconciliation is part of CSC’s commitment to the:

• care
• custody, and
• reintegration of Indigenous offenders

This is integral to CSC’s culturally responsive programs and services. CSC is committed to working collaboratively with our Indigenous partners and stakeholders to improve offenders’ correctional results while facilitating their healing journey. We recognize the inherent value of reconciliation, and I encourage you to embark on or continue your own learning journey on the path to reconciliation.

In commemoration of the International Day of the World's Indigenous Peoples, Senator Michèle Audette will share her experience and reflections on:

• communities
• language
• culture
• identity, and
• self-vision

in a LifeWorks webinar, First Nations: Past, Present, and Future, on August 9 at 10:00 am (ET). Since the 1990s, Ms. Audette has been instrumental in transforming the relationship between Indigenous People and the non-Indigenous society in Quebec and Canada, particularly by giving visibility to political and social issues affecting Indigenous women.

I encourage you to register for this interesting and insightful webinar:

• First Nations: Past, Present, and Future

Ephesus Project: Helping Offenders Earn Higher Education

I am pleased to highlight the Ephesus Project, a volunteer initiative based in Edmonton that organizes and delivers post-secondary courses to individuals in CSC institutions. Kudos to the staff and volunteers who help facilitate these important post-secondary educational opportunities for inmates. I am a firm believer in the role that education plays in helping offenders rehabilitate and reintegrate into society.

Read more about this good news story in Let’s Talk Express:

• The Ephesus Project: Volunteers delivering post-secondary education in Correctional Service Canada institutions

Thank you for the great work that you do every day:

• in encouraging and assisting offenders to make positive changes, and
• in contributing to the safety of our communities

CSC staff do amazing things; I see it everyday. I appreciate all of your efforts in working to fulfill our mandate.