Media Room

News Release

Communiqué

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

CORRECTIONAL SERVICE CANADA GIVES BACK TO THE COMMUNITY

Ottawa, December 6, 2004 – The Correctional Service of Canada (CSC) is gearing up for its 5^th annual Giving Back to the Community event. The entire month of December will highlight how CSC staff and offenders give back to Canadian communities. This yearly event is an opportunity for offenders, with the assistance of staff, to contribute positively to society. The festive season is a time of giving to those less fortunate people in the community. Staff and offenders bring cheer to children, the elderly and those in need, through various efforts such as organizing toy, food and clothing drives.

"Supporting and encouraging offenders to participate in projects that are directly linked to the community is instrumental in assisting them to return to society as productive citizens", said the Honourable Anne McLellan, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Public Safety and Emergency Preparedness.

"CSC is fortunate to have such dedicated staff who participate yearly in these types of initiatives and assist offenders in their efforts to contribute to society. Their commitment to actively participate in this event is truly commendable", says Don Head, Acting Commissioner of CSC.

A great amount of time and effort are spent for many worthwhile causes. Activities vary from supplying a volunteer workforce for projects that benefit society, making and repairing hundreds of toys for less fortunate families at Christmas time to speaking to youth about the consequences of crime.

"Eventually most offenders will return to the community. Having them involved in projects such as these provides them an opportunity to interact with members of the community and CSC staff and to make a positive contribution to the community", said Sean Taylor, National Chairperson of the Citizens' Advisory Committee.

Backgrounders related to several community-oriented activities in each of CSC's five regions are attached.

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For further information or third-party contacts in the community, please contact the following at Correctional Service of Canada (CSC):

BACKGROUNDER

The Correctional Service of Canada, as part of the criminal justice system and respecting the rule of law, contributes to the protection of society by actively encouraging and assisting offenders to become law-abiding citizens, while exercising reasonable, safe, secure and humane control. - Correctional Service of Canada Mission Statement

The following are just some examples of the many community-oriented activities involving Correctional Service of Canada (CSC) staff and offenders carrying out CSC's Mission. Media are invited to visit institutions to see some of these initiatives in action and meet with staff and offenders who are "giving back to the community."

GIVING BACK TO THE COMMUNITY: ATLANTIC REGION

WESTMORLAND INSTITUTION: (Minimum-security, Dorchester, NB) Over the past 13 years, the inmates of Westmorland Institution, through their own generosity, have donated over $34,000 to the Children's Wish Foundation. This year a contribution of $4,290 was made.

DORCHESTER PENITENTIARY: (Medium-security, Dorchester, NB) The staff is raising money through the proceeds of an institutional cookbook (recipes from staff) for needy families in the communities of Dorchester, Sackville, Port Elgin, Memramcook and Moncton. These families are chosen by an outside agency.

Toys for Tots - Inmates in the Basic Skills Shop are once again giving Santa a helping hand by making, repairing and cleaning hundreds of toys that will be distributed to less fortunate families in time for Christmas. The Dorchester "Christmas Toy Project" has been ongoing for the past 14 years. Inmates have made, repaired or refurbished over 90,000 toys, stuffed animals, and bicycles.

ATLANTIC INSTITUTION: (Maximum-security, Renous, NB) The Correctional Programs staff has been contributing to a fund all year long that will go to several needy families during the festive season.

COMMUNITY SERVICES: Offenders on conditional releases in the community volunteer their time to speak to students in various schools about their experiences and the consequences of engaging in unlawful behaviour and the benefits of living a crime-free life.

Newfoundland/Labrador District: Our employees are involved again this year in contributions to needy families. This year it is being coordinated through the Status of Women Christmas drive for single parent families.

Offenders are also involved annually in volunteering with delivering Christmas food hampers as well as the Community Correctional Centre ongoing recycling blitzes where proceeds are given to a local children's day care.

GIVING BACK TO THE COMMUNITY - QUEBEC REGION

DONNACONA INSTITUTION: (Maximum-security, Donnacona, QC) Paniers "Sans Faim" {Christmas Baskets} is a campaign to collect non-perishable food items for disadvantaged people in the community. This year, the campaign has been running since November 1st and will continue until December 20th. With the assistance of the Société Saint-Vincent-de-Paul in Portneuf County, baskets will be delivered to needy families in Donnacona on behalf of employees of the institution.

JOLIETTE INSTITUTION FOR WOMEN: (Multi-level security, Joliette, QC) Women housed in the secure unit of the Institution repair toys that have been donated either by staff or community members. These toys are then given to children in the community at Christmas time.

ARCHAMBAULT INSTITUTION: (Medium-level security, Sainte-Anne-des-Plaines, QC) With the assistance of the local Knights of Columbus organisation, staff at the institution organize food drives during the month of December. The money and food stuff that are collected are distributed to needy families in Ste-Anne-des-Plaines for Christmas.

FEDERAL TRAINING CENTRE: (Minimum-security, Laval, QC) Every Wednesday, offenders work at Soupe Populaire St-Maxime, where they help make dinner, set up the dining room, distribute food and clean up after the meal for approximately 200 recipients.

GIVING BACK TO THE COMMUNITY - ONTARIO REGION

BEAVER CREEK INSTITUTION: (Minimum-security, Gravenhurst, ON) Every year the Beaver Creek Institution Social Committee hosts a Christmas dinner/dance for staff with the proceeds going to local charities such as Interval House, Alzheimer's Society and Diabetes Society. The inmate/community baseball game held in the fall each year raised over $1,000 to provide Christmas to several needy families in the community.

BATH INSTITUTION: (Medium-security, Bath, ON) This year, Bath Institution has joined the Kingston community in supporting an initiative entitled "Operation Christmas Child". All staff have been encouraged to bring a shoebox filled with toys, goodies, food stuffs, toothpaste, etc. that will be sent to less fortunate families.

MILLHAVEN INSTITUTION: (Maximum-security, Bath, ON) Over $6,000.00 was raised at the staff canteen and the money is distributed to various charitable organizations and special events including Mothers Against Drunk Driving (MADD), Kidney Foundation, Heart & Stroke Foundation, etc.

PITTSBURGH INSTITUTION: (Minimum-security, Kingston, ON) The Pittsburgh Institution Inmate Committee will be coordinating a drive to provide money to the Children's Aid Society, who will in turn identify a needy family for Christmas.

GIVING BACK TO THE COMMUNITY - PRAIRIE REGION

DRUMHELLER INSTITUTION: (Medium/minimum level-security, Drumheller, AB) Inmates in the Drumheller Minimum-Security Unit make toys for children including train sets, as well as children's lounge chairs and bird houses out of wood donated by CORCAN (a special operating agency of CSC) and donate them to various community organizations such as the Salvation Army and Church organizations to distribute to children at Christmas time.

RIVERBEND INSTITUTION: (Minimum security, Prince Albert, SK) The Lifers Bicycle Program rebuilds bicycles donated from community police agencies and donates them back to needy individuals in the community. The highlight this year was the completion and donation of a special tandem bicycle built for a disabled adult in the community who, after a bicycle accident, was unable to bike alone. Also, staff and inmates are combining forces this year to sponsor Christmas Hampers for needy facilities to be delivered to families on behalf of the Salvation Army and Friendship Inn.

BOWDEN INSTITUTION: (Medium-security, Innisfail, AB) Inmates from the hobby shop are donating wooden projects to local non-profit organizations that include hope chests, wooden bowls and the like during the month of December.

STONY MOUNTAIN INSTITUTION: (Medium-security, Stony Mountain, MB) The Health Awareness Group, along with the Inmate Welfare Committee, is hosting a Card Derby to raise funds for the Christmas Cheer Board in Winnipeg. The institution is having a silent auction from which the proceeds will go to the Stony Mountain community food bank and the Correctional Officer Care for Kids organizations. There will be approximately 40 to 50 items auctioned off, in the hopes of raising at least $1,500.

GIVING BACK TO THE COMMUNITY - PACIFIC REGION

MISSION INSTITUTION: (Medium-security, Mission, BC) Staff at Mission is participating in the Angel Tree in response to request from the local community Christmas Bureau - up to 50 Christmas gifts for disadvantaged children have been contributed.

KENT INSTITUTION: (Maximum-security, Agassiz, BC) Each year, Kent Institution staff continues to support Operation Christmas by adopting a family (3 children and 1 parent) who are struggling in the community by providing them with full breakfast, lunch and Christmas dinner hampers, gifts, clothing and toys. Kent also collects donations during the Christmas season for the local food bank.

PACIFIC INSTITUTION / REGIONAL TREATMENT CENTRE: (Multi level-security, Abbotsford, BC) Inmates involved in the Horticulture Therapy Program donated many kilos of fresh vegetables to the Abbotsford Food Bank and an East Vancouver transition house for women. The vegetables were grown at the institution as part of a therapeutic program.

MOUNTAIN INSTITUTION: (Medium-security, Agassiz, BC) Raffle tickets are being sold for Habitat for Humanity for their Christmas fundraiser. Offenders at Mountain Institution have made two playhouses this year that will be raffled to raise funds for the building program. CORCAN (a special operating agency of CSC) staff is volunteering to sell the raffle tickets at a booth in a shopping mall.