Scott Brison’s departure is a loss for Canada’s public service

Fellow members,

Like many Canadians, I was sorry to learn yesterday that Treasury Board President and Minister of Digital Government Scott Brison is leaving Cabinet and will not be seeking re-election later this year.

I have the utmost respect for Scott and for his accomplishments during his tenure as one of Canada’s most senior ministers. He always brought thoughtfulness, a desire to work collaboratively and a sense of humour to our discussions. Some of his first words to me were: “We won't always agree, but we don't have to be disagreeable about it" - and he always lived up to that principle.

I remember how impressed I was when he agreed to speak at our 2016 Annual General Meeting after his appointment to Cabinet. But he wasn’t just a skillful politician and public speaker. He was an accomplished administrator, and his arrival on the scene set a new tone of respect for public servants and for bargaining agents. As President of the Treasury Board, his work on Diversity and Inclusion, Pay Equity, Employee Wellness and a new streamlined collective bargaining Protocol (amongst other key issues) helped restore a more confident and effective public service. As Minister of Digital Government, he helped make federal services more accessible for all Canadians. Nobody ever doubted his competence or his commitment to the country.

The Institute looks forward to enjoying a continued productive and collaborative relationship with the next Treasury Board President - especially with the round of bargaining currently underway and the work to replace Phoenix.

On behalf of our 60,000 PIPSC members, I would like to wish Scott all the best in his future endeavours with Max and their beautiful twin girls. He will be missed.

Sincerely,

Debi Daviau,
President

Published on 11 January 2019

5 March 2019

PIPSC continues to fight for pension protection at Canadian Nuclear Laboratories

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28 February 2019

Do Better than Phoenix: pay now, not later

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21 February 2019

Bringing PIPSC’s Priorities to the Hill – PIPSC Lobby Day 2019 a Huge Success!

On Tuesday February 5th PIPSC members were on Parliament Hill to discuss the importance of the critical public services we deliver to Canadians. A delegation of close to 30 members, representing a range of Groups and Regions, met with over 30 Parliamentarians. It was a unique opportunity to bring key priorities directly to the decision makers.

20 February 2019

PIPSC submits comments on draft legislative proposals related to salary overpayments

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11 February 2019

PIPSC testifies before the Senate Human Rights Committee on working conditions in Canada’s penitentiaries

On February 6, 2019, PIPSC President Debi Daviau and Steward Éric Massey, Nurse at the Archambault Institution in Sainte-Anne-des-Plaines, Quebec appeared before the Senate Standing Committee on Human Rights to discuss the issues faced by our members at correctional institutions across Canada, in particular those of our health care services members (SH Group).

16 January 2019

Salary overpayments caused by Phoenix: the government finally takes a step in the right direction

The federal government has just announced that it is proposing new measures to help correct the wide-ranging issue of employees having to repay the gross instead of the net amount of a salary overpayment caused by system, administrative or clerical errors. This is particularly significant for PIPSC members: tens of thousands of you have experienced this problem first-hand thanks to the calamitous Phoenix system.