Carrying the torch: Regional Sergeant Major Michael Cadorin
For Michael Cadorin, service with Correctional Service Canada runs deep in the family.
Growing up in Langley, B.C., he was never far from where he now works as a Correctional Manager at Matsqui Institution in Abbotsford, and even closer to the stories that first drew him to the field.
“My grandfather started with CSC back in the 1970s, in the old B.C. Penitentiary days, and later transferred to Matsqui Institution when the penitentiary closed” Michael recalls. “He was a correctional officer, a boisterous, entertaining man who loved to tell stories about the job.”
Those stories, a mix of danger, discipline, and purpose, stuck with him. “I was fairly young, but I remember being fascinated, and especially drawn to his olive-green uniform,” he says. “The work sounded meaningful even if it was tough.”
After earning a business degree in 2001, Michael explored several law enforcement opportunities. When CSC responded first, he decided to take the leap. By 2006, he was training as a correctional officer, at the very same institution where he still works today.
Stepping into the role also meant stepping into a legacy. “When I first started, I worked with many officers nearing the end of their careers who worked with my grandfather,” says Michael. “One of them was my former warden who recently retired and started with him when she was a CX1.”
For Michael, it was a tangible reminder that he was carrying forward something much larger than himself. Now, with nearly 20 years of service behind him, Michael manages Unit 2 at Matsqui Institution, overseeing 104 inmates and 13 officers.
“It’s challenging in a good way,” he says. “You never know what the day will bring. The priorities shift constantly; it keeps you sharp.”
Michael Cadorin at the 2025 Peace Officers Memorial in Ottawa
He understands the realities of the environment. “It can be negative and challenging, and we often encounter people at their lowest,” Michael says. “But every day brings opportunities for growth and change. Do people have the capacity to change? Absolutely, and when it happens, it reminds us why we’re here.”
That realism is balanced by compassion. Over the years, he’s seen many young offenders; some just 18, walk into his unit with lives already shaped by trauma, addiction, and abuse. “When I see someone that young come in for something as serious as manslaughter, I can’t help but think: how did life go this wrong?”
For Michael, understanding those root causes is part of CSC’s mission. “We’re here to address the risk factors that led them here, things that might have been engrained since childhood. There’s a whole case management team behind that effort. My role is in the living unit, right there in the cell block, where we interact with them daily, check in, and conduct interviews. You get to know their stories.”
While he rarely sees what happens after release, he knows silence can mean success. “If they don’t come back, you know something’s gone right.”
Photo of Michael's grandfather, standing outside of the Old BC Penitentiary. (Circa 1970)
Beyond the walls of Matsqui, Michael’s commitment to service takes on a ceremonial and symbolic form. Since 2024, he has served as Regional Sergeant Major, Pacific Region, for CSC’s Guard of Honour, an appointed role that builds on his long-standing involvement with the Guard, which began in 2008. The Guard of Honour participates in approximately 20 to 25 ceremonies each year, including Canada Day parades, Royal Canadian Legion events, memorial services, and change-of-command ceremonies.
Each September, he joins colleagues in Ottawa for the Police and Peace Officers’ Memorial, standing shoulder to shoulder with law enforcement officers from across the country. “It’s a powerful reminder that what we do is dangerous work, and that we look out for one another,” he says.
Michael Cadorin in the ceremonial Guard of Honour uniform.
His grandfather, who passed in 2006, left him a few simple words that still guide him: “Be fair, firm, and consistent, and be careful.”
For Michael, those words, and the uniform he wears, continue to mean the same thing: service, honour, and resilience, both inside and outside the walls.
“Everything about the Guard of Honour is rooted in honour and integrity,” he says. “Its values reflect a deep respect for those who came before us, while showcasing our profession to the public in a positive and dignified way.”