Commissioner's update for correctional employees: September 1, 2023

I wanted to take one last opportunity to connect with you before we switch over to our new Monday messages (note: it will be Tuesday next week due to the holiday).

One-Year Anniversary of James Smith Cree Nation Tragedy

Monday, September 4 is the one-year anniversary of the horrific tragedy that occurred on the James Smith Cree Nation and in Weldon, Saskatchewan. I wanted to once again extend my thoughts to the victims, their families, Indigenous peoples, and communities impacted and share the grief felt by the residents of these communities and all Canadians, particularly those who have lost family members and friends.

Last October, I announced that CSC and the Parole Board of Canada (PBC) would convene a National Joint Board of Investigation (BOI) into the Statutory Release, community supervision and PBC decisions. We have been working collaboratively with the PBC over the last year and the findings will be shared once the investigation is completed.

I know that this topic can be very difficult and triggering for some. Resources are available to support you. EAP referral agents are available to listen and help. Please remember that our Critical Incident Stress Management Program and Employee Assistance Services are available:

• Employee Assistance Program (internal resource)
• Critical Incident Stress Management Program (internal resource)

Pride Season

As Pride season comes to an end, I want to offer a big thank you to all the staff who participated in Pride marches across the country. I know we had great representation in Ottawa and are expecting a great turnout at the Quebec City and Moncton marches this weekend.  I also know that some regions faced challenges related to participating in Pride events.

I encourage you to continue to build relationships with Pride event organizers and others in your community so that they can be better informed of the efforts we have undertaken to support 2SLGBTQIA+ staff and offenders in our care. I am proud of the transformative steps CSC has taken to support this community, particularly with our Commissioner’s Directive 100 – Gender Diverse Offenders. Everyone has a role to play in increasing our diversity and inclusion, and I appreciate the individual efforts you make all year round.

Budget 2023 Spending

In March, Budget 2023 put forward a plan to build a stronger, more sustainable and more secure economy for Canadians, and included several important investments. You may have also heard that Budget 2023 asked agencies and departments to:

• reduce spending on consulting, other professional services (for example, management consulting), and travel by roughly 15% of planned 2023-24 discretionary spending in these areas; and
• phase in a roughly 3% reduction of eligible spending by departments and agencies by 2026-27, starting in 2024-25.

We are working to identify efficiencies and find new and innovative ways of enhancing CSC’s operations to make the best use of available resources. I will ensure that you are kept informed about the ways CSC plans to deliver on these reductions.

A special thank you to those who will be on the front lines during this Labour Day long weekend. We are grateful for the work you do year-round to help us fulfill our mission.

This time of year also marks back-to-school for many parents at CSC. Preparing your kids for their return to school can be emotional, exciting, and stressful all at the same time. I wish all families a wonderful start to the school period.