Chaplaincy Services

National Chaplains' Conference,
June 2001

Commissioner's Speech

Welcome! It is a pleasure to welcome you to this National Chaplains' Conference. A conference, as you know, is an opportunity to gather new ideas, get back in touch with our colleagues, and meet new people. The purpose of a conference is to talk about our challenges and, of course, meet them.

I regret not being able to be with you in person. This is a busy week. The Executive Committee is meeting in Halifax and it will immediately be followed by the National Congress of the Canadian Criminal Justice Association. I am glad some of you will also be participating in the Congress.

First of all, let me start off today with a few messages for the institutional chaplains: you have an important role in corrections. The consequences of your presence in our institutions are many and important. You stand for peace and fairness and reconciliation. You represent the outside world through your membership in Canada's faith communities. For the Correctional Service and for offenders, you are signs of hope and of values. As I said in Moncton, speak up and let us hear of your concerns. I appreciated hearing of your concerns, which I know were rooted in the welfare of inmates and therefore of our communities. We readjusted our sights somewhat but after much thought, CSC will continue to rely on your participation in the key Temporary Absences program.

To those involved in community ministry: your networks include many resources that facilitate and support the safe reintegration of each offender in society. A recent study of some of these networks suggested a multiplication factor of almost 10. Just think about it ! If CSC spends $250,000 on community ministry, about $2.5 million is reinvested for society to bring about the reintegration of the ex-offender. The initiative of Circles of Support and Accountability has proven itself a strong method of safe reintegration. Your work has received international recognition. I would like to see Circles of Support in every community. That's a challenge: how to replicate quickly our success. We must get better at reaching out and responding to the needs of our communities. And I think that we could look forward to new initiatives for outreach from Pierre Allard's and Tim Farr's sectors.

To representatives of the Interfaith Committee on Chaplaincy: thank you. Your advice and assistance in helping the Service deliver effective spiritual and religious programs is much appreciated. Thank-you for your involvement and for your work in co-sponsoring this conference.

To representatives of the academic world: I am delighted that the Faculté de Théologie of Laval University is also a host for this conference. Your involvement insures that correctional ministry remains informed with careful thinking.

Lastly, welcome to CSC staff who are attending. You know, our research consistently shows us that close relationships between correctional colleagues are a key - the key - to success. The more we can bring the unique contribution of chaplains and the important work of other staff to inform each other, the more effective we will all be in our respective roles.

A word to those who are not here: I understand that many among you are persons on part-time contracts, persons whose livelihood depends on other work as well. I understand your situation. However, in many cases these part-time contracts are for representatives of minority religious traditions. I want you to know that your work is very important to me and you are an important part of the work of this conference. I trust you will be made fully aware of its outcomes!

Senior managers in the Service have just completed their annual strategic planning exercise. Your theme, "Artisans de Justice", could well have been our theme. We scanned the horizon looking at trends, studying analyses of population, now and in the future, examining societal pressures, and so on. Our analysis is not yet finished, but let me share the four broad themes around which we are structuring our thoughts. They may be of assistance to you in your thinking:

Safety must be our principle preoccupation. Public expect it, staff need it, offenders need it for a safe atmosphere in which to learn. Safety includes less violence, and increasingly a range of health concerns. Your presence can build peace, and reduce the long-term consequences of violence through your presence and counsel to those who are hurting.

The turnover in leadership in CSC in the next five years will be huge. We must be ready. I hope you are. Technological innovations will help us be a more effective service - by this I do not mean more of the same, but new tools will be developed to help us fulfil our Mission more effectively. Faith communities have been leaders in communications and learning. You will have a contribution to make, even here!

Public opinion surveys reveal that the public does not perceive us with confidence. Your work with volunteers and your efforts to build capacity for reintegration in the community will help the public better understand their role in corrections, while making us more sensitive to what must be done.

Canada is an increasingly diverse country. We sometimes think in terms of three founding nations: Aboriginal, French, and English. However, our present reality also includes an important multicultural dimension. As representatives of many communities of faith, with deep roots in all cultures, you are uniquely placed to help us build a culture where all these differences are accommodated with respect and compassion.

You can see that your theme, Artisans of Justice, could be a theme of all correctional workers today. There is lots of room for creative thinking and craftsmanship in this work!

Have a wonderful conference. I look forward to hearing news of your conclusions.