Island Correctional Staff leave today for Ottawa to attend a special memorial service to commemorate fallen comrades from across Canada. On September 24, 1998, the Government of Canada officially proclaimed the last Sunday in September of every year as Police and Peace Officers' National Memorial Day. National Memorial Day is an opportunity for Canadians to honour the dedication of police and peace officers who made the ultimate tragic sacrifice to keep our communities safe.
Four Correctional Officers and One Youth Worker will be attending the Memorial Service in Ottawa representing Community and Correctional Services of the Office of the Attorney General of Prince Edward Island.
"Police and Correctional Officers are an integral part of Island communities," says Attorney General Jeffrey E. Lantz. "While we are fortunate in Prince Edward Island that we rarely experience the loss of a police or correctional officer in the line of duty, this service is an opportunity to honour comrades across the country."
Representing Prince Edward Island at the service are Correctional Officers Kevin Arsenault, Mike McIver, Merrill Oatway, and Mike Hammill and Youth Worker John Moore.
"This is a unique opportunity for us to honour and remember fallen comrades, but it is also an opportunity to get together with comrades from across Canada to discuss our unique working environments, participate in professional development and represent PEI Corrections," says Mike Hammill, Provincial Correctional Centre.
Attendance at the Memorial Day Service is co-sponsored by the Union of Public Sector Employees (UPSE) and the Office of the Attorney General.