James A. Murphy Citizen Advisory Committee Award

Mary Stephenson (Prairie Region)

Mary has been an invaluable asset to the Citizen Advisory Committee (CAC) at Grande Cache Institution (GCI) for nearly thirty years. As its first Chair, she led the committee for two decades, ensuring members had the guidance and support they needed to fulfil the CAC mandate to observe, liaise, and advise.

In 2007, Mary played a key role in the successful transition of GCI from minimum to medium security, applying the knowledge she gained from her six years on the Parole Board of Canada to advise on policies and procedures. Over the years, Mary has served as a liaison between the institution and the community, cultivating lasting partnerships that have benefited the community while improving opportunities for the offender population.

2023: Peggy (Margaret) Joiner (Atlantic Region)

This recipient was recognized for her influential force in the Citizen Advisory Committee (CAC) since the early 2000s, ascending to leadership roles as Atlantic Regional Chair (2014 to 2020) and National Chair (2020 to 2022). Her tireless efforts have modernized the CAC Constitution, strengthened collaboration with Correctional Service Canada (CSC), revitalized membership, and ensured members are well-equipped to fulfill the CAC’s mandate. Peggy's contributions extended to shaping the CAC Strategic Plan for 2020 to 2025, supporting justice training initiatives, and restarting the Nova Scotia Community CAC, which encompasses facilities such as the Jamieson Community Correctional Centre. Her dedication, leadership, and knowledge continued to resonate deeply within CAC and CSC, earning her the prestigious 2023 James A. Murphy Award.

2022: Eddy Elmer (Pacific Region)

This recipient was recognized for his exceptional initiative and skill in engaging stakeholders, raising the profile of CACs, and promoting education about corrections. Since joining Metro Vancouver West CAC in 2018, and advancing to Regional Chair in 2023 and National Vice-Chair in 2024, Eddy has leveraged technology to produce an annual webinar series on topics like aging in prison, digital literacy, victim services, and the needs of high-risk offenders and their families. The webinars, which he started during the pandemic, attract speakers and attendees from as far as the UK, New Zealand, and Fiji. The series has become an important tool for community outreach, networking, and professional development at the local, national, and international level. Rich in content, the webinars draw global attention not only to the important work of CSC and the CACs, but also the contributions of community partners. Through his outreach efforts, Eddy is helping CACs move in new directions, embracing the possibilities of the digital age.

2021: Benoît Roy (Quebec Region)

This recipient was recognized going over and above his regular staff duties to support the CAC for the past 27 years. Working as a Parole Officer, Parole Officer Supervisor and then an Area Director in the South Shore Montreal Metropolitan District, he was the second CSC member of staff to receive the award since it’s creation in 2013. Benoît’s vast experience allowed him to share his knowledge and experience with CAC members, giving clear and transparent information while strengthening ties with the community. Facilitating the recruitment of new members and re-establishing five CACs in the Montreal Metropolitan District alone ensured representation in an area extending over 20,000 km²! During the pandemic, Benoît’s was able to support and guide CACs for continuity in a changing landscape while stimulating the resilience and retention of members. His efforts have earned him the title of the “Face of CACs” in the Quebec Region. 

2020: Raynald Martel (Quebec Region)

This recipient was recognized for his creativity, visionary perspectives, discreetness, and long-term dedication to the CAC mandate. Member since 1987, a year after the creation of CACs, Raynald was Chair of the Donnacona Institution CAC where he developed an exemplary local and regional record of performance. His skills as a communicator and facilitator as well as his respect for people and ethics were commendable. He was influential in developing a new regional operation for CAC and utilized his background as a teacher to often lead training with new CAC members. Raynald has left an indelible mark on the CAC through his positive and humanistic leadership. “Collaboration and transparency are fundamental values for him. An excellent communicator, he provides positive leadership.” 

2019: Anne Malick (Atlantic Region)

This recipient was recognized for going over and above in her contribution to the CAC mandate across the Atlantic Region. Anne was a pioneer of Nova Institution for Women CAC. For over 24 years, she was part of numerous events and projects, such as equipping the library at Nova, Christmas parties, education of offenders, assisting in the complaint process, chairing the CAC, recruiting new members, establishing community links, providing advice to Nova on the needs of incarcerated women, advising NEC on updates to CAC governance, observing during a hostage situation at Nova, participating in national and regional conferences, and more. “Anne has mentored many CAC members both at Nova and in the region. She often was behind the scenes urging people to take on more responsibility so that CAC could move forward.”

2018: Lori Ebbesen (Prairie Region)

This recipient was recognized for her outstanding contributions to the committee at the local, regional, and national level. Lori’s contribution led to enhancing CAC’s impact on CSC . She was able to redirect the committee’s focus from processes to focus on the key correctional issues, standardize the CAC Orientation for all CAC, clear with CSC the confusion around CAC’s involvement in Outside Review Boards (ORB), lead a business case for strategic reinvestment in CAC, review the policy framework for CAC, and more. "A committee gem with endless potential. Lori's efforts have planted seeds that will have longer-term impacts such that CAC will grow and truly flourish.” 

2017: Robert (Bob) Marshall (Pacific Region)

This recipient was recognized for his impactful work with Community Residential Facilities (CRF). His contribution to core initiatives such as the CAC Constitution, the Orientation Manual and the Conflict-of-Interest form during his tenure with the NEC elevated the committees’ governance. Regionally, and as a member of the Metro Vancouver East Community Corrections CAC, Bob went over and above to cultivate a progressive and collaborative relationship among CAC and CSC, share perspective on sometimes contentious issues, and for being an ever-present eloquent spokesperson for CAC and the reintegration of offenders. “Bob has been a pillar to the Pacific Region CAC...and has remained as dedicated as the day he started.”

2016: Niels Bjelbo (Ontario Region)

This recipient “exemplified the true spirit of dedication and caring needed to help offenders in the community to re-build their lives.” As Chair of the Keele Community Correctional Centre CAC and Vice-Chair of the Ontario Regional Executive Committee, Neils was exceptionally committed to dispelling myths and transforming negative public perception. This helped contribute to collaborations offering offender access to employment contacts and supports like life skills training, resume and interview preparation and identification. His remarkable involvement included community beautification projects to help offenders reintegrate as law abiding citizens. “His ability to heal, restore and transform human relationships is embodied in the quiet, gentle spirit that serves as a positive role model for offenders.”

2015: Robert Goluch (Prairie Region)

This recipient was recognized for epitomizing the spirit of volunteerism within and beyond CAC. As Chair of the CAC Winnipeg Urban Parole & Osborne Community Correctional Centre and Vice-chairperson for the Prairie CAC Regional Council, Robert was instrumental in building a strong local CAC, formalizing recruitment processes and sub-committee structures, and for fostering an array of innovative initiatives, such as an independent staff survey, an offender-specific submission to the Task Force on Financial Literacy, and the launch of a Council’s Executive Committee. Robert mentored new Council members, shared successful practices from his local CAC with regional colleagues, and demonstrated a commitment to excellence. 

2014: Donna Gardiner (Atlantic Region)

This recipient was recognized for going above and beyond in her duties as a CAC member. As Chair of the Newfoundland and Labrador CAC, she demonstrated an unswerving stewardship at the local and regional level and was instrumental in renewing the Newfoundland and Labrador CAC and managing to bring CAC members together across a vast geographical area. Donna’s CAC leadership impacted diverse areas of improvement in community corrections, such as in physical and mental health care and employment. As the first CAC member recipient of this award, she was recognized for her collaboration, commitment, and compassion. “She clearly exemplifies, and with a great deal of passion, that she chose to be a part of the solution and not a contributor to the problem. What she has done is just truly remarkable.”