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Special Awards Ceremony Marks 20^th Anniversary of
Corrections Exemplary Service Medal

By Mary Beth Wolicky, Communications Advisor, Communications and Citizen Engagement Sector
Photos: Bill Rankin

The Honourable Peter Milliken, Speaker of the House of Commons and Member of Parliament for Kingston and the Islands, Ontario, invited the Correctional Service of Canada (CSC) to hold a special awards ceremony in the Railway Committee Room of the Centre Block, in recognition of the twentieth anniversary of the inception of the Corrections Exemplary Service Medals. The medal was created by the Queen in 1984 to recognize the work of corrections professionals.

Award winners from across Canada and senior managers who had been present at the Executive Development Symposium in Cornwall attended the ceremony at the Centre Block on December 9, 2005. Special guests included Don Yeomans, who was CSC commissioner when the Corrections Exemplary Service Medal was first established.

The following people received the Corrections Exemplary Service Medal, 1^st Bar:

• Robert Babineau (Atlantic Region)
• André Ahern (Quebec Region)
• Diane Grondin (Quebec Region)
• Pierre Lachapelle (Quebec Region)
• Pierre Tremblay (Quebec Region)
• James William Blackler (Ontario Region)
• Donald Montgomery (Monty) Bourke (Ontario Region)
• Yves Deslauriers (Ontario Region)
• Allan W. Smith (Ontario Region)
• Rémi Gobeil (National Headquarters)
• Arden Thurber (National Headquarters)
• Kasper Hordyski (Prairie Region)

The following employees were awarded the Corrections Exemplary Service Medal:

• Guy Poirier (Atlantic Region)
• Peter Wickwire (Atlantic Region)
• Arnold Gaudet (Ontario Region)
• Theresa Westfall (Snyder) (Ontario Region)
• Gail Shkwarek (Ontario Region)
• Chris Price (National Headquarters)
• Michel Savard (National Headquarters)
• Glen Westbury (Prairie Region)
• Mary Ann Birk (Prairie Region)
• Gord Redhead (Prairie Region)
• Marc-Arthur Hyppolite (Prairie Region)

These employees received the 25 Year Long Service Award:

• Simonne Poirier (Atlantic Region)
• Jean-Luc Gougeon (Quebec Region)
• Stephen Wilson (National Headquarters)
• Dan Erickson (Prairie Region)

The Honourable Mr. Milliken presented the Reverend Pierre Allard with a framed letter from the Honourable Anne McLellan, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Public Safety and Emergency Preparedness, congratulating him on being awarded the 2004 Maud Booth Correctional Services Award from the Volunteers of America.

This prestigious award is presented to those who demonstrate leadership and compassion in actively assisting offenders to reach their potential for change. The much-loved and respected chaplain received a standing ovation from his colleagues in recognition of his accomplishment and many contributions to CSC and to Canadians.