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FORUM on Corrections Research

Workshop for Women in the Correctional Service of Canada

The Correctional Service of Canada is committed to equality and to the development and advancement of women in decision-making roles. This commitment was demonstrated by the sponsorship of the recent Workshop for Women in the Correctional Service of Canada. Held 4-7 November 1991, at Mont-Ste-Marie, Quebec, the workshop was attended by more than 110 middle managers representing a range of occupational groups from across the country.

The workshop was to provide a forum for sharing ideas about women's issues in the correctional workplace. It provided an opportunity for women to discuss the means by which they can make a greater contribution to corrections in Canada.

On the agenda was a wide range of topics including general women's issues, careers and career path planning, the Federally Sentenced Women's Initiative, the role of middle managers, networking, role models and mentoring, dealing with sexual harassment, balancing work and family, financial planning, supervising men and stress management.

The speakers delivered their topics with enthusiasm and expertise. Key speakers included Ole Ingstrup, Commissioner of Corrections; Kay Stanley, Co-ordinator, Status of Women Canada; Anne-Marie Trahan, Associate Deputy Minister, Justice; Ginette Stewart, Commissioner, Public Service Commission; Susan Niven, Momentum Management Group; Linda Duxbury and Lorraine Dyke of Carleton University; and Lisa Hitch, Joan Gibson, Elizabeth Lynch and Jane Miller-Ashton of the Correctional Service of Canada.

After three days of thought-provoking presentations, the participants developed recommendations to help the Correctional Service of Canada to use the resources of women better and gain gender balance and respect in the workplace. The 26 recommendations were presented at the December meeting of the Correctional Service of Canada's executive committee. Recommendations will be reviewed by the regions and discussed in detail at the February meeting of this committee.

The participants recommended that the Correctional Service of Canada:
  • establish a (regional/national) mentor program that allows for:
a) a process by which coaches and mentors are assigned to individuals, and

b) training seminars for middle and senior managers in peer coaching and mentoring which would apply to both men and women;
  • develop and implement national and regional counselling programs to assist women in their careers; review the competitive process to remove any systemic barriers that exist against women, and to encourage and attract women to apply for more job competitions; provide gender-awareness programs for men and women at the institutional level;
  • increase the recruitment of women in institutions so that they may provide better support for each other. This would act as a retention mechanism for female correctional officers.
Since the workshop, certain initiatives have been undertaken by the regions. The Personnel and Training Sector will be producing a summary of the workshop proceedings and recommendations early in 1992.
Date Modified: 2009-08-13

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