Let's Talk

Prairie Region

CAC Fair 2004

By Bill Rankin, Communications Officer, Communications and Citizen Engagement Sector

Despite rainy weather, the Citizens' Advisory Committee (CAC) recently opened its doors and welcomed a large crowd of community members and special guests to their inter-agency fair. The aim was to increase awareness of the work of the Correctional Service of Canada (CSC) and the CAC's role in community safety.

Left to right: Dancer Rocky Morin, Dorthe Flauer, Marc-Arthur Hyppolite, Regional Deputy Commissioner and dancer Adrian Lachance

Many agencies were invited and provided with space to set up displays - filling the gym with over 30 tables of crafts for sale, brochures and other forms of information. The fair focused on youth and this year Aboriginal dancers and drumming groups were invited to perform and speak about their experiences with the criminal justice system.

Fun-filled events included a barbecue, free giveaways, tours of the Stan Daniels Healing Centre and the Grierson Centre and a chili cook-off to raise funds for the United Way campaign. On the grill, barbecue maestros Clinton Rusnak from the Edmonton John Howard Society and Daryl Clark from Lifeline, Alberta, kept the hot dogs coming.

Inmates on escorted temporary absences from the Edmonton Institute for Women helped provide for the chili lovers, who arrived with big appetites, ready to sample the wares. Chili entries were made by an array of competitors - the cook from the Stan Daniels Centre, the CAC, CSC regional coordinators and others.

Each year more agencies attend this event. It's a chance to mingle, network and get to know colleagues and working partners. By all measures, this year's fair was a great success.