Commissioner's update for offenders and their families: August 12, 2024

I have mentioned before how grateful we are at CSC to have Elders working with Indigenous people serving a sentence. Earlier this spring, we held a special retirement ceremony at Kwìkwèxwelhp Healing Village to recognize Elder Sam Adolph who has contributed so much over the years.

Elder Sam started at Kent maximum security then went on to Mountain, Mission and Matsqui medium security institutions, and eventually Kwìkwèxwelhp Healing Village in the Sts’ailes territory in British Columbia.

Elder Sam was blanketed in the Longhouse at Kwìkwèxwelhp Healing Village and sat in a chair on cedar branches between the fireplaces. The numerous guests gave Sam tokens to show their respect and to acknowledge his many years of service to CSC and the community. All guests formed a procession where they spoke to Elder Sam as the residents drummed and sang.

^{Elder Sam Adolph with his partner Judy Swakum}

On August 15, the Acadian people celebrate National Acadian Day. In the 1600s, French pioneers settled in Nova Scotia and New Brunswick, naming the country Acadia. They have celebrated their rich culture, heritage, and history since 1881. In 2003, the Government of Canada passed the National Acadian Day Act. This gives people across the country an opportunity to celebrate Acadians’ cultural, linguistic, and artistic contributions to Canadian communities.

I wish those of you with Acadian roots a happy National Acadian Day!