April 29
Prior to the Convention officially opening, the regions held their regional caucuses.
Colleen Coffey, Regional Executive Vice-President (REVP) for the Atlantic Region chaired the Caucus and introduced members of the Atlantic Regional Council in attendance.
Candidates seeking election to the position of National President and National Executive Vice-President addressed the delegates. Chris Aylward and Fabienne Jean-François are seeking the position of National President while Magali Picard is seeking the position of National Executive Vice-President. More candidates might come forward later on but those were the only ones that addressed the delegates of the PSAC-Atlantic Regional Caucus.
Following the regional caucuses, the PSAC Convention was officially called to order. Regular protocol such as aboriginal opening, ratification of convention committees, etc. were followed.
First report of the credentials committee:
487 Delegates
168 Observers
16 Invited Guests
Highlights of the National President’s report:
-The union’s work in defeating the Harper Conservative government;
-No concession bargaining with Treasury Board;
-Success on the anti-privatization campaign of the airports;
-Improvements to public service health care plan for birth control;
-PSAC child care campaign;
-Phoenix pay system;
Resolutions: As this was the opening day of Convention, there were no resolutions presented to the delegates.
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April 30
Report of the credentials committee (morning report):
491 Delegates
189 Observers
26 Invited Guests
Highlights of the address by Hassan Yussuff, President of the Canadian Labour Congress:
-Enhancement of the Canada Pension Plan (CPP);
-The defeat of the Conservative Government Bill C-377;
-Ban on asbestos;
-The need to have a national pharmacare program; and
-The importance of proactive pay equity legislation
The 2019-2021 budget was presented and debated at length. The debate will resume tomorrow.
The keynote speaker – Senator Murray Sinclair, spoke about his career and most recent work on the truth and reconciliation commission and his appointment as a Canadian Senator. He received standing ovations from the delegates on several occasions.
There was also a special (and quite moving) performance to commemorate the more than 1200 missing and fallen indigenous women.
Resolutions: There were no resolutions presented to the delegates as most of the debate was focused on the budget.
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May 1
Report of the credentials committee (morning report):
494 Delegates
194 Observers
32 Invited Guests
A statement was read to highlight May 1st - International Workers’ Day.
The 2019-2021 budget was adopted by the delegates.
Address by the keynote speaker – Aurélie Lanctôt, author of the book: Liberals don’t like women.
Resolutions that were adopted:
-Constitution: CS042: That the PSAC Constitution be amended to change the term Aboriginal Peoples to Indigenous Peoples.
-Constitution: CS-008: DCL power to recommend.
-Constitution: CS-031: National President’s linguistic skills.
-Constitution: CS-091: Trusteeship of a constitutionally recognized entity.
-Finance: FIN-013A: Regional Convention subsidy.
-Finance: FIN-002A: Funding for Regional Health and Safety Conference.
-Finance: FIN-016A: Area Council Funding.
Resolution that was defeated:
-Constitution: CS-073: Delegate seats for equity members at PSAC national triennial convention.
We were also proud of Amy Savile, president of PSAC-UGSW Local 60550 and first-time delegate to the PSAC National Convention. Amy made a referral to resolution CS-002 and their referral was adopted by the Convention delegates who gave them a big round of applause. Congratulations, Amy!
Many resolutions were referred back to the committee with clear instructions.
View the official photo album here.
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May 2
Report of the credentials committee (morning report):
494 Delegates
194 Observers
36 Invited Guests
Resolutions that were adopted:
-Finance: FIN-024: PSAC Regional Organisers (3rd BIR)
-Finance: FIN-027: Carbon Offsets – PSAC Convention (2nd BIR)
-General: PSAC Policy Statement on Phoenix Pay System (adopted unanimously)
-General: GEN-009A: Precarious Work
-Constitution: CS-045: Update GLBT Acronym to LGBTQ2+
-Constitution: CS-051A: Fully Funded PSAC Regional Conventions (with referral)
-Constitution: CS-066 PSAC - REVP Living/Working Location
-Constitution: CS-090: Section 25 of the PSAC Constitution – 2
-Constitution: CS-002: Section 4 of the PSAC Constitution (with referrals)
Resolution that was defeated:
-Finance: FIN-027: Carbon Offsets – PSAC Convention (1st BIR)
The candidates for the positions of National President and National Executive Vice-President participated in an all-candidate meeting.
View the official photo album here.
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May 3
Report of the credentials committee (morning report):
494 Delegates
195 Observers
39 Invited Guests
Results of the election of National Officers
National President: Chris Aylward
National Executive Vice-President: Magali Picard
Alternate National Executive Vice-President: Sharon DeSousa
Members of PSAC, delegates of the National Convention, held a rally at the Toronto office of Finance Minister Bill Morneau.
Resolutions that were adopted:
-Collective Bargaining: NEGO-039: Enhancing PSAC 2015 National Convention Resolution 29, Legal Consultation in Use of Force.
-Collective Bargaining: NEGO-028A: Domestic Violence.
-Collective Bargaining: NEGO-005A: Electronic Voting.
-General: GEN-083A: P3 and Privatization Fight Back (with referral).
-General: GEN-21 Indigenous Awareness Training on Truth and Reconciliation.
PSAC Atlantic’s Women Director for Newfoundland and Labrador, Angela Decker, spoke in favour of resolution Collective Bargaining: NEGO-028A: Domestic Violence and asked the delegates to adopt the resolution unanimously.
Colleen Coffey, our Regional Executive Vice-President, also spoke on this resolution and shared her personal story. Sister Coffey asked the delegates to adopt this resolution unanimously and she received a standing ovation.
The resolution was carried unanimously.
There were no resolutions defeated by the delegates.
A special tribute was paid to Sister Robyn Benson, outgoing National President.
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May 4
Report of the credentials committee (morning report):
494 Delegates
196 Observers
41 Invited Guests
Resolutions that were adopted:
-Constitution: CS-036: Part 1 Section 14 of the PSAC Constitution
-Constitution: CS-093: Gender-Neutral Wording in Constitution
-Constitution: CS-048: Section 15 of the PSAC Constitution
-General: GEN-089: Harassment
Resolution that was defeated:
-Constitution: CS-036: Part 2 Section 14 of the PSAC Constitution.
-Constitution: CS-034: Section 13 of the PSAC Constitution
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