[4] The CSC officially came into being on April 10, 1979, when Queen Elizabeth II signed authorization for the newly commissioned agency and presented it with its armorial bearings.

[1] The torch symbolizes learning, knowledge and hope, while the key represents the eventual unlocking of the door upon completion of a prison sentence.

[11][12] Initially operated as a provincial jail, the penitentiary came under federal jurisdiction following the passage of the British North America Act in 1867.

The regime of these prisons included productive labour during the day, solitary confinement during leisure hours and the rule of silence at all times.

[13] The Archambault report, published in 1938, proposed sweeping changes for Canadian penitentiaries, with emphasis on crime prevention and the rehabilitation of prisoners.

The Commission recommended a complete revision of penitentiary regulations to provide "strict but humane discipline and the reformation and rehabilitation of prisoners."

While the commission's recommendations were not immediately implemented due to the advent of World War II, much of the report's philosophy remains influential.

The Committee saw prisons not merely as fulfilling a custodial role, but also to provide programs that would promote "worthwhile and creative activity" and address the basic behaviour, attitudes and patterns of inmates.

The Fauteux Report recommended hiring more, and better-trained, personnel, including those with professional qualifications in social work, psychology, psychiatry, criminology and law.

Lochnan filed a research document that stated in part the background philosophy on the given development: In principle, there is no reason why the corporate graphic image of the [Correctional Service of Canada] should not take the familiar form of an institutional Coat-of-Arms, i.e. an heraldic shield emblazoned with appropriate symbolism … [c]ustom favors, instead, the adoption of a distinctive "service badge" analogous to those of the Canadian Armed Forces and of the RCMP … [t]he basic form of the suggested badge design is elliptical, containing "crossed keys" as a symbol of the Service and the stylized Maple Leaf from the Flag of Canada with the Royal Crown surmounted … [i]t is intended that the ova-shaped annulus should contain the official name of the Service in abbreviated form in English and French …[a]s a background to the oval badge … the sketches include what is known as a "glory" in the form of rays of light emanating symbolically from a star or the sun.

The "glory" in the case of the hat badge … [is] an eight-pointed star … research has not revealed any image which would better symbolize the nature and purpose of the Corrections Service than the "crossed-keys" device … (Lochnan, 1978, July 21st).On December 21, 1978, Commissioner Donald R. Yeomans approved the chosen design.

Although the court does impose a minimum number of years before the offender can apply to the Parole Board of Canada for conditional release.

The Parole Board of Canada has the complete responsibility in making liberty decisions at the point in the court-imposed sentence where an offender is allowed to live in the community on conditional release.

IPPI realized that there needed to be a different approach and make the parole officers more involved on a face-to-face basis which resulted in a more successful transition to the real world for ex-prisoners.

Correctional Officers who are specifically designated for Federally Sentenced Women (FSW) are called Primary Workers and have an entry rank of COII.

Examples of such events include local and ceremonial parades, funerals, recruit graduations, and national and international commemoration services.

Nearly a hundred years later, the industry was deemed as an key component in the "rehabilitative process," a value which was progressively gaining importance for CSC.

By the 1950s the focus on prison labour shifted away from its role as a form of punishment and transitioned towards this being a integral part of offenders' rehabilitation, and thus increases public safety.

CORCAN operates through partnerships with public, private and non-profit firms, which provide work to inmates in industries such as manufacturing, textiles, construction and services for which they are remunerated.

[23] In 2013, the Harper government implemented a series of room and board fees amounting to a 30% cut in pay for inmates enrolled in the CORCAN program.

[24] The CORCAN program has been criticized for offering few meaningful work and training opportunities, as many of the jobs available to inmates are in industries with little relevance to current labour market needs, such as laundry, textiles and manufacturing.

"[28] Each institution and parole office forms the 'local committee' for which the CSC consult with on matters regarding correctional operations, programs, policies, and plans.

"[31] Newark stated that there is a big push in Correctional Services to get more offenders out of penitentiaries and onto the street in what is called "The Reintegration Project".

Newark stated that he had obtained documents to prove this, including memos, minutes, and confidential Corrections correspondence, and an internal memorandum talk about setting a "goal of a 50/50 split of offenders between institutions and the community".

A senior union official said some parole officers, especially in cities, have caseloads of 40 or more instead of the recommended 18, and as a result, they are unable to do all of the crucial collateral checks in the community, such as talking to employers, landlords, neighbours and other family members.