Steering Meeting
Present: Chris Davis CEIU, Craig Wood UTE, Marc Danis NAT, Donna Fedon NAT, Hycinth Jayasuriya GSU, Brian Monteith UNDE, Vimbai Dune-Chitohwa AGR, Tina Matias-Bouchard NAT, Chris Gagne NAT, Allison Gagne CEIU
Regrets: Don Rogers CEIU, Jocelyne Poirier PSAC
Meeting commenced 17:05. Meeting chaired by Brother Davis at the request of the Chair, Don Rogers, who was absent due to component commitments.
Committee minutes back to June 3, 2009, had not yet been tabled and approved due to logistical issues. The following minutes were tabled:
June 3, 2009 Moved: Sister Dune Chitohwa. Seconded: Sister Fedon
July 21, 2009 Moved: Brother Jayasuriya. Seconded: Brother Danis
November 17, 2009 Moved: Sister Matias-Bouchard Seconded: Brother Wood
November 24, 2009 Moved: Brother Danis Seconded: Sister Matias-Bouchard
December 10, 2009 As this was the “Celebrate the Season” tri-committee event hosted by the Human Rights Committee, no minutes were required nor taken.
Committee Mandate and Objectives: Distributed to attendees with the minor revisions as approved during the July 21, 2009, meeting.
Brother Davis indicated the Human Rights related events in which members had participated during the past few months, including the Indigenous Sovereignty Week and the Medicare Pledge, among others.
The 2010 PSAC Pride Conference revised application deadline was announced. The dates of the current equity convention cycle were provided.
Pride March 26-28, 2010 Toronto
Access June 4-6, 2010 Ottawa
Women’s October 22-24 Ottawa
Racially Visible April 2011 Vancouver
Aboriginal September 2011 Yellowknife
Committee members were advised to visit the PSAC National website for further updates and call-outs.
REVP Prairie Region, Sister Robyn Benson joined the Committee at this point. Introductions were made and Sister Benson provided the Committee with an overview of her roles and responsibilities and their intersection with the Committee such as the National Employment Equity Committee (EOC) and the Equity Members on the Prairie Region Council (PRC). Sister Benson discussed various equity and equity-seeking issues and challenges in response to questions posed by Committee members. Sister Benson excused herself from the meeting after 50 minutes.
Committee discussed and debated various equity and equity-seeking issues for inclusion in the calendar of events for 2010. The steering plan for 2010 meetings follows, allowing for availability of speakers and subject to date and topic revision. Also note that Committee business may require minor discussion time at the start of some meetings.
March 16, 2010 Aboriginal Sweat Lodge Ceremony (rescheduled due to cancelled Nov 24 meeting)
Responsible: Brother Davis
Notice of event and sweatlodge protocol / explanation will be sent out. Sole revision will be new date of March 16. Update: Thunderbird House has advised changes in availability and the sweat lodge is only available for public rental on Monday evenings and selected weekdays during business hours. It appears that most feasible date for the event will be the evening of Monday March 15
April 20, 2010 PRIDE / GLBT
Responsible: Brother Danis and Brother Davis
Meeting date was chosen so that knowledge transfer, posters, pamphlets etc. could occur prior to the 2010 National Day Against Homophobia on May 17, 2010 and culminating on Pride Day June 6, 2010. After discussion the Committee determined the focus should be focused on GLBT members in the workplace and how the Alliance can educate themselves and the membership of the oppression faced by GLBT members. The Committee would like to obtain tools such as the “Out and About” booklet or the CLC “To Our Allies…” booklet and be instructed on how to facilitate their usage in the workplace. The committee suggests that PSAC PRIDE / EOC members at a national and/or local level be contacted to possibly attend and/or present via videoconference. The committee suggests that local resources such as the Rainbow Resource Centre be contacted for possible presenters.
May 18, 2010 Mental Health in the Public Service
Responsible: TBD
Committee indicated high interest in this topic and a number of components have identified mental health in the workplace as a primary issue. National and Regional PSAC and CLC resources can be sources of speakers and materials. Mental Health Works and the Mental Health Commission were also noted as relevant tools to locate speakers and resources. While the PSAC has long ago noted this issue as a priority the employer has also recently identified mental health in the workplace as a priority issue.
SUMMER BREAK
October 19, 2010 Employment Equity / Employment System Review
Responsible: Sister Dune-Chitohwa and Brother Jayasuriya
PSAC National Website Resources:
Employment Equity Legislation
Employment Equity Policy
2009 Report
may form some of the meeting focus. Sister Dune-Chitohwa and Brother Jayasuriya indicate they have extensive resources and materials to draw from.
November 16, 2010 Discrimination-Free Workplace
Responsible: TBD. Several committee members indicated possible speaker resources
Brother Davis stated that contact had been initiated with a Racism Prevention Officer who facilitates “Racism Free Workplace Strategy” sessions in the workplace. This contact was in response to the release of the “Visible Minorities in the Federal Public Service: Unhealthy Workplaces Result in Mental Health Issues” report. Rather than focus on any specific equity-seeking group the committee decided the meeting focus should be on eliminating discrimination in the workplace for all members
December 2010 “Celebrate the Season” tri-committee event
Responsibility TBD
Meeting adjourned at 19:02