Inside Education December 2000

International Symposium Concludes

NEWS RELEASE
May 3, 2000, Correctional Service of Canada (CSC) wrapped up its successful three-day international conference, Literacy 2000: Towards Reintegration at the Congress Centre in Ottawa, Ontario. Co-hosted by CSC and the U.S. Department of Justice Federal Bureau of Prisons, the conference focused on the four cornerstones of correctional education: Literacy, Special Learning Needs, Technology and Career Development, and Teaching for Independent Learning.

"The conference gave educators a chance to share ideas and to build a correctional education network in order to generate new ways of making a difference in the lives of offenders," according to Gilles Lacasse, Conference Manager. "Correctional educators, administrators, and various interest groups had the opportunity to exchange views, discuss what works and learn from the challenges and successes of their colleagues."

Keynote speakers at the conference included: Judith E. Heumann, United States Department of Education; Peter Gzowski, Canadian Author and Broadcaster; Senator Joyce Fairbairn, Special Advisor on Literacy to the Minister of Human Resources Development Canada and Lesra Martin, a key person involved in the freeing of Rubin "Hurricane" Carter from prison. Martin gave a powerful presentation at the conference dinner on May 2nd and moved the audience by showing them that the power to make a difference exists in all of us.

The conference concluded with the announcement of winners of the Literacy 2000 Poster Contest. The conference poster was sent to correctional facilities worldwide and had a design that inmates, regardless of language or culture, could understand. Facility inmates were asked to interpret the poster based on their own personal experiences and submissions included essays, poems and even a rap song. There were more than 1,500 international entries from over 20 countries, showing the importance of education in the prison system.

The CSC, as part of the criminal justice system and respecting the rule of law, contributes to the protection of society by actively encouraging and assisting offenders to become law-abiding citizens, while exercising reasonable, safe, secure and humane control. More information on Literacy 2000: Towards Reintegration can be obtained by visiting the conference web site at www.literacy2000.com. Information on the Correctional Service of Canada can be obtained by visiting www.csc-scc.gc.ca

Teacher Awards

During the conference a correctional educator's recognition luncheon took place in which educators were recognized and presented with an award to acknowledge their achievement in the area of correctional education.