Serving Life 25. One Guard's Story

05/31/2026

Great visit with Harry S.

05/30/2026

Affirmation of Command Ceremony Marks Incoming Commissioner of the Correctional Service of Canada

Today, the Correctional Service of Canada (CSC) held an Affirmation of Command Ceremony to formally mark the transition in leadership to incoming Commissioner, Tala Dakalbab.

This ceremony underscores the significant responsibilities entrusted to the role of Commissioner. It symbolizes the formal transfer of authority, accountability, and leadership, while reaffirming CSC’s ongoing commitment to public safety and the rule of law.

Mr. Talal Dakalbab was appointed Commissioner of the Correctional Service of Canada effective March 23, 2026. Prior to his appointment, he served as Senior Assistant Deputy Minister of the Crime Prevention Branch at Public Safety Canada, a role he had held since November 2020. Mr. Dakalbab began his career in the federal public service as a parole officer at CSC and, later served as an Assistant Deputy Warden, roles which have equipped him with extensive knowledge of CSC’s operations and its mandate within the criminal justice system.

Mr. Dakalbab follows outgoing Commissioner Anne Kelly, who retired following 43 years of distinguished service in the federal public service, including eight years as Commissioner. Her leadership helped guide CSC through complex challenges, including the response to the COVID-19 pandemic, while advancing key correctional priorities.

The ceremony was attended by CSC staff, stakeholders, partners and Parliamentarians. It was an opportunity to highlight the important, and crucial work of many to further the organization’s mandate. Their professionalism and commitment directly contribute to the safety of Canadians.

05/24/2026

Union says prison violence escalating across Canada
Laura Brown
May 23,2026

SPRINGHILL, N.S. – Rene Howe, regional president of the Union of Canadian Correctional Officers, says the number of violent incidents, contraband, drone sightings and weapons seized at Correctional Service Canada prisons is on the rise, and the union representative feels little is being done to ensure the safety of correctional officers.Howe is speaking out less than a month after a serious incident left five correctional officers injured at Springhill Institution in Nova Scotia, according to Howe.

Two of them were stabbed. One had his ear half bitten off,” he said in an interview with CTV News. “We also had reports that activities like this were going to happen, and it seems like it’s going on deaf ears with our management side.”Correctional Service Canada (CSC) said in a statement on April 27 that the staff members were treated in hospital, and the assailant had been identified.“Appropriate actions will be taken,” the emailed statement read.The provincial MLA for that area made a statement on social media after the assault, outlining her concern for the officers, saying several are her constituents.

Since then, Elizabeth Smith-McCrossin says she’s been getting a lot of calls and emails from current and former officers, and their family members, expressing concern about the situation inside Springhill.

“What’s really striking to me is almost every conversation is exactly the same, which tells me that these problems that are happening right now within corrections are very concerning. They are real and they need to be addressed,” she said. Prior to becoming an MLA, Smith-McCrossin was a nurse and worked alongside other healthcare workers who spent time in Springhill. Some of them mentally struggled with the work and environment, she said, which is why she feels there needs to be more mental-health support and benefits for officers.“We need to start putting supports in place for people that are working there that are working with our highest risk offenders in the country,” Smith-McCrossin said. “They’re dealing with people that have severe problems, that have sexually assaulted children, that have murdered people. And we’re asking people to work with them and to protect society. But clearly we’re not protecting them.”While she recognizes Springhill is a federal institution, and she’s a provincial MLA, Smith-McCrossin feels she still needs to speak up for the community she represents.Speaking from his Moncton office, Howe says the number of violent incidents in prisons across the country is only increasing.

Since January, Howe says the following incidents have been reported across the Atlantic region’s five CSC institutions:-

31 officers have been assaulted-

79 have been threatened,

There have been 68 inmate assaults,

337 weapons have been found and seized,

65 cellphones have been found and seized,

20 drone sightings have been reported.

“Our staff are seeing more violence than we ever have before. It’s escalating,” he said. “I don’t think that this is a regional issue anymore, I don’t think it’s a local issue. I think this is a national issue.”On May 15, Springhill Institution was placed under a multi-day lockdown to undergo an “exceptional search,” where contraband and unauthorized items were found.In a statement to CTV News Friday, Laurence Côté, communications officer for CSC, outlined several factors the federal government agency is facing.“The increase in the inmate population places pressure on institutions. Moreover, incarcerated individuals have increasingly complex profiles that include substance use issues and challenges related to behaviour management,” Côté wrote. Contraband is exacerbating those challenges, and causing more tension among inmates, she said.

Ottawa’s Spring Economic Update did promise some financial help for CSC to combat drone activity, and strengthen security measures.“There is ongoing collaboration at both the national and regional levels to address these issues through mechanisms such as a working committee, where incidents are dissected in order to identify any gaps and implement solutions to address any safety and operational concerns,” Côté said.Howe said the union is “more than willing” to work with CSC on these issues, saying it starts with better communication.He did acknowledge there are some security measures being taken specifically at Springhill that he feels are positive. But more needs to be done across the country, Howe said.“As you can expect, I’m pretty upset knowing that officers that I represent are having to go through this on a daily basis. This is unacceptable. And they deserve much better than this,” he said.

04/22/2026

https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/saskatchewan/sask-drone-detection-prison-drug-smuggling-9.7172072

The province wants to reduce the rise in drugs and weapons being dropped by drones into prison yards — sometimes right to an inmate's cell window.

04/22/2026

CTV News
April 21, 2026
Todd Coyne

A camouflaged package containing drugs and other contraband that was discovered in a British Columbia prison yard may have been dropped from a drone. Corrections officers at Mission Institution in the Fraser Valley discovered the parcel, which was wrapped in real grass, on the prison grounds during morning rounds on April 9, according to the Mission RCMP.
say the “cleverly” disguised bubble-mailer was able to “seamlessly blend in with the grass inside the fenceline of the institution.” The package was turned over to the Mission RCMP, who opened it to discover more than 300 grams of suspected methamphetamine, along with an iPhone, razor blades, bottles of steroids and assorted pills, the detachment said in a statement Tuesday.“

Corrections officers say that preventing contraband from entering the prison is an ongoing priority for them, and that the items seized could have had real safety implications for both inmates and staff,” the statement said.“They also note that banned items such as illicit drugs sell for a much higher price inside correctional facilities, due to the added risk of getting them inside, so the interception of this package likely represents a significant loss of income for whomever was involved.”

04/20/2026

Mission Warden Rob Clark was killed in an accident Sunday in Pitt Meadows. BC. Rob was previously Warden at William Head, Area Director/POS/PO at Victoria Parole, and PO in Prince George before that. Will provide more details as soon as available 😞

"Dear colleagues,

I am at a loss for words today as I write this email. It is with deep sadness that I share the news that Rob Clark tragically passed away as a result of a motorcycle accident on Sunday.

My thoughts are with Kate, and with Rob’s family, friends, and colleagues during this incredibly difficult time. Rob was a highly valued and well-respected member of the Regional Management Team in his role as Warden of Mission Institution.

Prior to his time at Mission, Rob served as Warden at William Head Institution and as ADCIS at Regional Headquarters, and he spent many years as a member of the Vancouver Island Community Corrections team. Rob will be deeply missed by all those who had the privilege of working alongside him across the region.

I recognize that this news is upsetting. Please take care of yourselves and one another during this time, and know that support is available. The Employee Assistance Program (EAP) through TELUS Health is available to anyone who may wish to access assistance.

Further information will be shared as it becomes available.

Brooke Kassen
Acting Regional Deputy Commissioner, Pacific"

04/19/2026

Western Standard News
April 18, 2026

Federal prison system has 28% more staff than inmates as costs top $4 billion

Canada’s federal prison system now employs significantly more staff than the number of inmates it houses, raising new questions about costs and efficiency within a system already under pressure to reduce spending.
Blacklock's Reporter says according to internal figures, the Correctional Service of Canada oversees 14,837 inmates nationwide while employing 19,024 workers, including more than 12,000 front-line staff—roughly 28% more employees than prisoners.
The imbalance comes as the agency looks to trim its workforce by about 850 positions over the next three years as part of broader federal efforts to rein in spending.
Officials say the reductions will come through changes such as streamlining internal services, modernizing operations and refocusing correctional programs.
A federal Transition Binder described prison operations as largely fixed in cost, tied to both static and dynamic security requirements, making significant savings difficult without structural changes.
At the same time, internal briefing notes warn the system’s long-term costs are unsustainable.
Housing a single inmate costs the equivalent of $436 per day, according to an Access to Information document, which concluded the current model cannot be maintained without major reforms.

Federal planners are now examining ways to “modernize” the prison network, including shifting toward more flexible, multi-use facilities that can adapt to changing needs.
However, documents do not specify whether any prisons will be closed as part of the review.
Canada’s correctional system has previously been described as one of the most heavily resourced in the world.
A 2019 report by the Correctional Investigator found nearly 40% of institutions had more full-time staff than inmates, with some facilities employing more correctional officers than prisoners.
The Correctional Service currently operates 39 prisons, 14 community correctional centres, five mental health facilities and four indigenous healing lodges.

04/17/2026

04/03/2026

https://www.canada.ca/en/correctional-service/lets-talk/read.html

Let’s Talk is a publication of Correctional Service Canada (CSC). Let’s Talk shares stories new and old of the people and programs at CSC. These stories provide an engaging window into how CSC fulfills its mission of contributing to public safety and assisting in rehabilitation. Let’s Talk is ...