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Vol. 34, No. 1

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This edition of Let’s Talk commemorates 30 years of Correctional Service of Canada (CSC) history. As Editor-in-Chief, I would like to take this opportunity to share some thoughts with you.

As you peruse this issue, you will take note that a lot has changed and much has been achieved in the past 30 years.

We have taken care to capture, in these pages, many significant touch-points in the evolution of our organization over that time.

Storytelling is a great tradition and a profoundly intimate way to learn about people, places and culture. I must say that since I joined the Service, just over three years ago, I have taken many opportunities to listen to the stories of the “old timers” and to revel in the passion they brought and continue to bring to their work. Last spring, I had the pleasure of co-hosting a 30th anniversary event that took place in Ottawa and witnessed the many ways in which we have reclaimed our older traditions. It was a moving and inspiring experience, and I felt privileged to be part of the culture of CSC.

Throughout this issue of Let’s Talk we revisit some of our shared history and tradition. Curator Dave St. Onge gives us a tour of the CSC Museum in Kingston, and a photo essay provides a quick retrospective on the uniforms worn by front-line staff over the past three decades.

Other articles will provide insight into the growth of CSC operations. For example, 30 years ago, the idea of providing information to victims of federal offenders was as remote as some of our institutions. Now, of course, victim services are an integral part of the correctional mandate.

Similarly, during the past 30 years, CSC has made significant changes to the role of parole officers and has forged strong bonds with a large cadre of volunteers who are instrumental to the work we do.

As you read these articles, I hope that you will feel a sense of pride in our history of effective corrections and in the role each of us has played in creating that history. Our traditions are a shared inheritance of every CSC employee and establish the foundation for future milestones. They give us a sense of who we are, where we’ve come from and where we’re going.

After all, great futures are built on a solid past.

Finally, to each of you I want to say happy 30th and congratulations! Whether retired or brand new to the Service, or somewhere in between, you have helped or are helping to shape CSC’s history. That’s an important role in the service to Canadians.

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