COVID-19 update for correctional employees: August 19, 2022

On Monday, I visited Edmonton Institution (EI) and Edmonton Institution for Women (EIFW) along with:

• Assistant Commissioner, Correctional Operations and Programs, France Gratton, and
• Regional Deputy Commissioner, Jason Hope

We were so pleased to meet with:

• the management team
• union representatives
• inmate committees

and tour parts of the the institutions.

They shared with us their achievements and successes over the past year as well as the challenges they face and ideas for improvements.

I want to thank all staff who participated and supported our visits. A special thank you to Primary Worker Nicole Dube who provided a demonstration of the new body scanner that was recently installed at EIFW; I had the opportunity to try it myself. It always means a lot to meet people in person and to have a first-hand look at the incredible work being done by our dedicated staff.

I visited the Federal Training Centre in Quebec in the spring, and Joyceville Institution in Ontario earlier this summer. I am very happy to be able to attend our sites again. Stay tuned for updates on more visits.

29th Annual Report to the Prime Minister on the Public Service of Canada 

CSC is featured in the Twenty-Ninth Annual Report to the Prime Minister on the Public Service of Canada, covering the period from April 1, 2021, to March 31, 2022.

• Twenty-Ninth Annual Report to the Prime Minister on the Public Service of Canada

There is a paragraph on CSC’s Connecting Spirits, Creating Opportunities initiative as well as a photo of Elder Dan Ross.

Vaccination audit

As you may be aware, CSC launched a vaccination audit in April 2022. CSC was required to implement a verification process to confirm the validity of employee vaccine attestations in accordance with the Government of Canada’s:

• Policy on COVID-19 Vaccination for the Core Public Administration

As a result, a random sampling of employees, who previously attested to being vaccinated, were asked by their manager/supervisor to provide proof of their vaccination. I am pleased to announce that all employees who participated in the audit, successfully provided proof of their vaccination status. Thank you for your collaboration and cooperation in this audit process.

Your continued efforts to keep our sites and workplaces as safe as possible by maintaining our health and safety measures are appreciated. Thank you for wearing a mask and washing/sanitizing your hands, as well as keeping up-to-date with COVID-19 vaccinations. Please stay home if you do not feel well.

Pride Season and Public Service Pride Week

Next week we are celebrating the fourth annual Public Service Pride Week (PSPW), August 22 to 26. This is a good opportunity to spotlight the resilience, celebrate the talent, and recognize the contributions of S2LGBTQ+ communities. This year’s theme is Being your Authentic Self at Work, which will be the foundation for:

• discussions
• events, and
• advocacy

I join the Public Service Pride Network (PSPN) in encouraging you to take part in the celebrations and activities planned for the week.

For the full schedule of planned activities, visit:

• the Public Service Pride website

PSPW is an ideal opportunity be an ally and:

• show support
• stand with, and
• advocate for your 2SLGBTQ+ colleagues

Respect is essential to build a healthy workplace. It is each of our responsibility to treat all people with dignity and respect.

You can find some tips on:

• being an ally

Spread the word: We are hiring

As you know, I have been working with CSC for 39 years. It is much more than a job; it is a vocation that can have a profound impact on the lives of:

• offenders
• their families, and
• society

as a whole. As members of CSC, we belong to a team whose mandate is public safety.  We have the great responsibility of having the care and custody of other human beings and have a unique opportunity to be role models. If you know of anyone who would like to join us in helping to change lives and protect Canadians, please invite them to apply, as we are hiring correctional officers and primary workers throughout the organization.

For more info see our job postings:

• Make a difference! Become a Correctional Officer I, and
• CX-02: Primary Worker/Kimisinaw

Tyler Lambert Memorial Fund

Mental health is very important to me. It is heartbreaking to learn when one of our own is deeply touched by this. In September 2019, 18-year-old Tyler Lambert died by suicide. The tragedy motivated Collins Bay Institution (CBI) Correctional Officer Heather Lambert and her family to:

• raise awareness about youth mental health, and
• help other families avoid the same devastating loss they had endured

In 2020, they established the We Play for Tyler three-pitch ball tournament fundraiser, which has since raised more than $72,000 for Kingston’s Maltby Centre, which provides children and youth mental health and autism services.  Last year, they created the Tyler Lambert Memorial Fund to provide healthy recreational opportunities for the Maltby Centre’s at-risk youth. A high level of support has come from Heather’s colleagues and friends at CBI. Thank you CBI for your generosity, and thank you, Heather, for raising awareness around such a critically important cause!

You can read more about Tyler’s Memorial Fund and how to contribute to it. (internal resource only)

Canada’s Penitentiary Museum news

Since reopening on May 21 after two seasons of being closed to the public, the Penitentiary Museum in Kingston has welcomed over 11,000 Canadian, American, and international visitors! Although attendance is half of what it was before the pandemic, it is positive to see it growing. Our partner, the Friends of the Penitentiary Museum, introduced some new products to the museum gift shop, including:

• Comeback Snacks popcorn and a variety of CORCAN goods
• honey and maple syrup from Joyceville Institution, and
• Indigenous handicrafts from Warkworth Institution

These items support the fundraising efforts to support the museum’s operations. I am also pleased to share that the museum has been nominated for the Great Kingston Chamber of Commerce 26th Annual Hospitality & Tourism Award. Thank you to curators Dave St. Onge and Cameron Willis, and to the volunteers who have worked hard to make this museum an excellent and informative collection and attraction. Keep up the great work!

Once again, a big thank you to you all for your commitment and dedication.