Ottawa, Monday, September 15, 2014

I am delighted to join all of you in marking the 30th anniversary of the creation of the Corrections Exemplary Service Medal. And what better way to celebrate than by honouring deserving individuals who are dedicated to correctional services?

Yours is not an easy task. The people you deal with on a regular basis have broken the law; they have harmed someone physically or mentally. Your job begins after the police investigations and legal proceedings have ended. You administer justice according to the law, but you often act compassionately beyond that scope. You can be—particularly for youth who have gone astray—part of an extended family of sorts, and you wield great influence.

My predecessor, the Right Honourable Michaëlle Jean, visited a detention centre in 2006, and spoke of the impact you can have, every day. She said, “I know the great difference that a sign of encouragement, a friendly glance, an attentive ear can make.”

That is what you do, both inside and outside of correctional facilities, as you also work with released and paroled offenders to help them get their lives back on track.

In addition, you are seekers of justice. You believe in our system and know that rehabilitation is essential in a healthy society.

But I have no illusions.

Yours is a long and difficult road, rife with the possibility of setbacks or even failures. Yet you continue to do your jobs, dedicated to the ideals on which our system of justice is based. You believe that people can change, that they can make a course correction to avoid repeating old patterns.

Your longevity in this field speaks to you commitment to making this a stronger, safer country.

And you know what is at stake.

In many cases, your charges are victims themselves: the victims of circumstance or of upbringing, or of any number of other causes. This does not excuse their behaviour, nor should we begin to make excuses for them, but we must identify what leads people to make these choices and then do what we can, as a society, to change things for the better.

We must do so for the sake of those who have been harmed. And we must do so for the sake of those who commit these acts. And for their families, those who carry the weight of their loved ones’ actions. This is where you play such an important role.

You provide an essential service to the offenders, but the benefits of your deeds reach far beyond: to all of us. And for that, we owe you a debt of gratitude.

These medals and bars that you will receive are a symbol not only of your hard work, but also of your willingness to scratch beneath the surface, to delve deeper into a problem, to discover solutions that are tailored to individuals. You are an essential part of our country’s ongoing efforts to prevent repeat offenders. And I have no doubt that you will continue seeking out answers, with caring and compassion.

Congratulations on what you have accomplished throughout your careers and thank you for your service to Canada.