News Releases

Quebec Region

News Release

Communiqué

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

LAVAL, QC, November 26, 2004 - The Correctional Service of Canada (SCC), in partnership with the Association des rencontres culturelles avec les détenus (ARCAD), held a charity auction on Monday evening at the Maison des Arts de Laval. Over $5,000 was collected from the event and will be donated to the United Way. Denis Méthé, SCC Regional Deputy Commissioner, Quebec, Jocelyn Bernier, President of ARCAD, and Robert Carrier, MP for Alfred-Pellan, took part in the event.

The auction included art works donated by inmates serving sentences at a federal institution or in the community. [TRANSLATION] "At the Correctional Service of Canada, we believe in the human potential for growth without which we could not accomplish our dual mandate to protect society and ensure the safe reintegration of offenders into the community at the right time. We believe that programs and occasions intended to help offenders in their personal and social development contribute to improving their chances of becoming law-abiding citizens", says Deputy Commissioner Méthé.

This activity gave offenders an opportunity to contribute to the well-being of the community by making use of their artistic talents.

The auction on Monday evening was the first of its kind in the Quebec Region that was organized by the Correctional Service of Canada. There were 36 artworks created by 20 offenders. Other sales have been held in recent years in some of the larger Canadian centres such as Edmonton, Ottawa, Toronto and Vancouver.

In the course of a year, there are a number of initiatives by offenders that contribute to the well-being of their communities.

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For further information, media representatives are asked to contact:

Claire Bisson
Acting Communications Manager
(450) 967-3306