COVID-19 update for correctional employees: September 16, 2022

In the past week, the death of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II has been a cloud over many of our lives. Her passing marks the end of an era in Canadian history. Earlier this week, Prime Minister Trudeau announced that Canadians will have a day of mourning on Monday, September 19. I hope you take some time to:

• reflect on Her Majesty’s years of service, and
• attend a commemorative service in your local community, if possible

For staff who will be working at our sites on Monday, know that your work is vital to the safety of our communities and to all Canadians, and for that I am thankful for your service. You can refer to the general communiqué (Gen-Comm) sent earlier this week for more information.

Kwame Osei awarded Queen’s Platinum Jubilee pin

This leads me to congratulate Kwame Osei for being awarded a Queen’s Platinum Jubilee pin a couple of weeks ago. The pin honours those who have made a significant contribution to their community. Kwame was recognized for his achievements as a teacher and mentor to inmates in maximum security at Millhaven Institution in Kingston. With his encouragement and support, incarcerated individuals, including those in the special handling unit (SHU), have attained their high school diploma.

Update on the Administrative Hybrid Work Model

As you know, we are continuing to transition to a flexible hybrid model for those who normally work in administrative workplaces, and where work functions permit. We underwent an experimentation period over the summer, and now managers are working with staff to review the lessons from that period. We are still working through the process, and arrangements are still being finalized.  

Please continue to work with your manager and your team members. This transition requires frank and open communications between managers and staff. Managers are required to provide clear and reasoned justification for their hybrid work model recommendations, and to engage with their staff on their concerns. 

Government of Canada Workplace Charitable Campaign

The Government of Canada Workplace Charitable Campaign (GCWCC) launched on September 15. The annual 10-week long campaign is the largest workplace charitable campaign in the country. It is a wonderful opportunity for each of us to contribute financially to local charities. Watch for more information on how you can participate in this campaign:

• in my weekly message
• on the Hub, and
• in This Week at CSC

Celebrating Gender Equality Week

Gender Equality Week, from September 18 to 24, is an opportunity to raise awareness of:

• the importance of equity and equal opportunities for women and inclusion of people of all genders, as well as
• the contributions they make to communities across Canada in every aspect of society

This year’s theme, Equal Rights, Equal Opportunities, reconfirms the federal government’s commitment to address gender equality gaps. At CSC, women represent over 50% of employees, although only 28.5% are correctional officers, positions traditionally held by men. Although this is a higher percentage than when I started in 1983, we hope to:

• narrow the gap in non-traditional positions, and
• have equal representation in a diversity of roles across the organization

Audit of Organizational Culture

A reminder to take the time to complete the survey on our organizational culture. Quorus Consultation Group is conducting this survey on behalf of the Internal Audit and Evaluation Sector and you received an email from them. Your point of view is important and will help to shape the future of our organization. If you did not receive the survey, require another format (i.e. not written or web-based), or have any technical issues with the survey, please contact Quorus at: 

• surveys@quorusconsulting.com.

Timely access to correctional programs

CSC has an obligation to provide offenders with timely access to correctional programs. Correctional program staff are encouraged to use the Prioritization Tool, which creates automatic reports in RADAR, that are:

• up to date
• organized by priority, and
• available within seconds

To better understand the use and benefits of this tool, a video demonstration has been created. Thank you to the team who worked on the development of this innovative reporting mechanism and the instructional video, which will help CSC ensure timely access to programs for the individuals in our care.

September 22 is the first day of fall, the autumnal equinox. As we all get back into fall routines of work and school, I wanted to note that the tireless work you have accomplished over the summer months is much appreciated.