June 3, 2026
Welcome and Introductions
The President, Roberta McArthur, called the meeting to order at 5:18pm. A round table of all attendees was done. A list of attendees is attached in Appendix 1.
Motion: Call meeting to order (Roberta, Evan), Carried
Approval of the Agenda
The agenda was reviewed.
MOTION: To approve the agenda (Roberta, Micheal). CARRIED.
Review and Approve Minutes of 2025 AGM
The minutes from the 2025 sub-group AGM were reviewed.
MOTION: To approve the minutes of the 2025 Mainland NS sub-group AGM (Roberta, Brennan). CARRIED.
Business Arising from the Minutes
Business arising from the 2025 AGM minutes –
Q: Can we get stats on how many people open emails sent from PIPSC?
Action: Leslie to follow up on this.
Sub-Group President’s Report
Roberta – Appreciates the participation of everyone showing up to the AGM. Stats on the group demographics. New classification added, RCMP chemists, we now have 10 classifications in the SP group of PIPSC. We have ~430 members in the mainland NS subgroup of the 430, 46% DFO, 31 % ECCC, 6% Health Canada, 4% NRCAN. We are actively always looking for more participation from Health Canada.
Roberta discussed the ongoing engagement events for the last year. Of note, the bargaining survey was completed in October and had a much higher participation rate than usual (51% vs ~25%). Several lunch and learns were done to also promote the survey. Engagement with CAPE and PSAC was completed to try and figure out joint visibility events between these federal unions locally.
These events and active subgroups are important to keep our voices heard with the employer.
Roberta encouraged everyone to get a PISPC email account. These accounts allow members to have access to group chats for enhanced virtual engagement amongst members.
Annual Financial Report
The Treasurer, Leslie Nasmith, went over the income statement ending Dec 31, 2025. Expenses in 2025 included our AGM, Executive Meetings, Mobilization activities, promotional items and retirement gifts. Executive meetings are re-imbursed by PIPSC.
MOTION: Move to accept financial statements (Leslie, Michael). CARRIED.
Approve of the Budget
The proposed budget for 2026 was reviewed. For the 2026 budget most of the money is budgeted for mobilization and visibility activities. Funding was increased for all items given the group is carrying a larger starting balance compared to recent years. A detailed budget breakdown was also provided to show the cost of individual planned events and promo items.
Q: Daniel – could we do a union steward recruitment event? Would be low cost. Union steward recruitment has been a challenge.
A: Roberta – Halifax Branch is also doing this, so perhaps we could do a joint event.
A: Leslie – We should try and get the branch to help because they represent all classifications, not just SP.
Amendment to budget: Add $XXX for steward recruitment event(s).
Motion: To approve the above amendment (Leslie, Evan).
Q: Olga – Can we do RTO specific magnets if we do them again? Think they would be popular.
A: Leslie – Can do smaller orders and split the magnet designs between the SP group ones and the proposed RTO ones.
Action: Bryan to order more stickers.
Q: Daniel – Will the annual allowance be reduced because we are having a high balance?
A: Leslie – yes, tried to estimate a smaller allocation given our higher balance.
MOTION: To approve 2026 Budget (Leslie, Brennan). CARRIED.
Elections to the Executive
Six positions were up for election on the Executive. Leslie Nasmith and Olga Trela served as the elections committee. The duties of the positions being elected were described. The following people were elected:
Vice-President (2-year term): Michael (self-nominated), Brennan (self-nominated), Laura (nominated by Roberta).
Michael withdrew from the election.
Election results: Laura
Motion: to destroy ballots (Leslie, Michael). CARRIED
Secretary: (2-year term): Michael (self-nominate), Carla (nominated by Laura)
Michael withdrew from the election.
Carla acclaimed as Secretary
Member-at-Large (x): (1-year terms): 1 position – Michael nominated himself
Member-at-Large (x): (2-year terms): 3 position – Brennan (nominated by Michael), Evan (self-nominated), Juan (nominated by Laura).
All members at large positions acclaimed.
Invited Guest: Bryan Van Wilgenburg -SP Group President
Are we happy about sub-inflationary contracts? No – so how do we prevent that? Employers want that money and do not want to spend it on scientist salaries.
Carla- Contracting out language, like NL?
Byran – IT group has it, and the employer regrets it.
If we do not want to give up more salary we need to show up. From their perspective we are paid too much for what we do. Phrase meaningful work.
Bryan gave a presentation on how we should go about bargaining to gain meaningful wage increases.
Timeline for bargaining, we switched to conciliation and strike. We are only allowed to bargain 4 months prior to contracts expiring.
We want the SP group to be able to carry out a strike. We want to be able to help members when they start to care as involved union members. Bargaining survey, we doubled our participation. It was a structure test to be able to see where our union members are most engaged.
Bargaining will begin in September, with meetings every 4-6 weeks.
Conciliation and strike was picked to try and get new language into the collective agreement.
Hard part – losing employees but also trying to get salary increases for those who are left.
We do not need to be on strike to have public feel sympathy to our cause.
We are piloting a concept called “open bargaining” – every member will get to see what is going on through mundane updates. If you want to know more, join the SP group active chat.
Two mobilization events with lab coats, with media availability. THe public does not understand who we are or what we do, so they think they pay a lot of taxes for nothing. This sends a message to treasury board that we are organized and we can get attention. Trying to get local groups using the lab coats as well. There is planned media training this fall for the Subgroup Presidents.
Active members will get to have a say in the priorities, otherwise it was just the bargaining survey to voice opinions. If a member cares, they should be willing to be active in the bargaining process.
If we do a strike, it will likely be a rotating event or work to rule. Chief financing idea will be to add 2 additional steps to each level. Scientists are underpaid compared to other degreed employees such as IT, CRA. We are underpaid by ~10% compared to other groups.
Asking members to do Steps for Science, go walk around the building with a colleague. Post it to Strava, social media etc.
We want to have a giant line of public servants at the first bargaining session. We want region members to join us. To further this members in the regions can win a trip to Ottawa. Winners will be selected based on the top 5 videos or pictures supporting SP awareness to the general public. Five additional members will also win at random just by participating. Winners will get to bring an SP colleague with you to Ottawa as well.
Bryan wants us to enjoy the rest of the AGM and get others to try and join events in the future.
Questions and Answers:
Q: Why can’t we get higher salaries for those going to the office?
A: Because they feel they can still get people lining up to do the job at the existing salary.
Q: How many people around can stand up and speak well to what we do?
A: A few people at this table definitely can? We can’t expect the public to be able to list all the things we do, if we all can’t. Idea is to focus internally on ourselves and improve our own knowledge on what federal public servants within the SP group do.
Comment: Stats Canada does easy quizzes on Instagram etc. that highlight what members do, it causes conversation with friends and loved ones who aren’t public servants.
Comment: We want public (parents) to be invested for “safe food”, “drinking water” etc. for kids, this doesn’t need to be directed specifically from the union.
Q: Stats on ERI or WFA, employer wants to avoid WFA since ERI is cheaper (no TSM or severance)
A: no numbers released for ERI, but stories of individuals being denied ERI.
MOTION: To adjourn (Roberta, Tim). CARRIED. Meeting adjourned at 7:59pm.
Appendix 1
List of Attendees:
(Name/Department)
Leslie Naismith, DFO
Roberta McArthur, ECCC
Cara Patton, ECCC
Brennan Allen, ECCC
Michael Forbes, RMG
Carla Skinner, NRCAN
Rachel Clarke, DFO
Evan Cronmiller, DFO
Daniel Ingram, ECCC
Debbie White, ECCC
Olga Trela, DFO
Juan Chaung Cabrena, ECCC
Laura Broom, NRCAN
Tim Bullock, ECCC
Bryan Van Wilgenburg, PIPSC – ECCC (invited guest)