Executive meeting: November 4, 2022 (5th of the year)
Face-to-face meeting at the Regional Office Room, Montreal
Meeting starts at 9:00 a.m.
In Attendance: Yvon Brodeur, Denis Caissy, Jean Couillard (via Zoom), Renaud Guiard (via Zoom), Nancy Lavoie, Steve Malenfant (via Zoom), Réjean Michaud, Pierre Potvin, Karine Régimbald (for item #7c only) and Patrick Sioui.
Regrets: Antoine Racine and Robert Tellier
- Opening Remarks:
Pierre welcomed everyone and chaired the meeting.
- Review and approval of the agenda:
Two items were added to the agenda.
Denis moved to approve and Nancy seconded.
All in favour. Miscellaneous still open.
- Approval of Minutes, September 22, 2022:
Renaud suggested deleting a section of the paragraph at item #9.
Renaud moved to approve the amended minutes and Patrick seconded.
Minutes of the September 22, 2022, meeting: all in favour.
- Follow-up to the September 22, 2022, meeting Minutes:
Item #15a): polo shirts on behalf of the Region: Steve is seeking our approval for the embroidery to be added to the polo shirts. They will be ready for the November 2022 National AGM in Montreal.
Pierre gave a brief summary of the last Steward Council, which we consider went well.
- Analysis the November 18-19, 2022, National AGM motions:
Review of the motions that will be presented at the next AGM:
BOD Motions:
F-1: in favour;
F-2: in favour;
F-3: in favour;
B-1: in favour.
Advisory Council (AC) Resolutions:
B-2: against (a priori we will see the arguments brought forward during the debates);
P-1: withdrawn.
Region and Group Resolutions:
F-4: against (funding is already available for these types of events);
B-3: in favour;
B-4: Against (SP members are not the only "scientists" at PIPSC);
B-5: in favour (Denis will submit the resolution for the Region);
P-2: in favour;
P-3: in favour;
P-4: in favour;
P-5: against (this would deprive us of significant cash flow).
Individual Member Resolutions:
P-6: in favour.
Late Resolutions:
L-1: open (we will see the arguments brought forward during the debates);
L-2: against (restrictive impact on a 2020 Board requirement.)
- Committee Update:
Denis described the many steps he has taken with the Institute's management to ensure that the Quebec Region has some autonomy in its communications with the media. To sum up, it was reported that the Institute is afraid of losing control of the message and does not trust regional stakeholders. In doing so, Denis shows his intention to take a break from PIPSC's Information Committee. Then, Pierre committed to bringing this issue back to the Board and to the Regional Directors' table. (follow-up: Pierre)
Besides, Denis is committed to producing other video clips like the one prepared for the training by peers. It should be noted that we have access to an FTQ studio and we can get funding from them for OHS related issues. A vignette on the SP profession is suggested to Denis.
Nancy reported that she will be attending a meeting with her committee members on November 23 in Trois-Rivières.
c) Status of Women:
Karine reported that, following a meeting with her committee members, a pilot project was introduced. Without going into details, the project wants a youth animation team (composed of young adults related to our members) to take care of the children (4 to 11 years old) of our members (young parents) in order to help them to participate in union activities. A first run will be made at the next Regional Council and we hope to repeat it at the next Steward Council.
We unanimously approved the launch of this project and congratulate the committee members for their initiative.
d) Human Rights and Diversity
Steve told us that a strategic planning meeting with the FTQ will be held on December 16th in Montreal. He also shared that he was recently trained on systemic racism and that our representative on the National Committee is not responding to our requests.
e) Youth:
Pierre said that the 4 young people from our organization who participated in the FTQ youth camp at the end of October were very satisfied. They noticed that young members in other organizations are very active. We proposed that young members organize an activity the day before the Steward Council on a topic of interest to young people. Finally, we officially announced Renaud's nomination as the new liaison person between the executive and the committee. We also asked him to support the current president.
Karine is absent, but Pierre informed us that Érick D'Amours and Christian Gaboury will be seconded as trainers in other regions for the JLP.
g) Political Action and Engagement:
Denis said he wanted to organize an activity for the Truth and Reconciliation Day on September 30, 2023, in Wendake, a suburb of Quebec City. The Board members will already be in Quebec City for a Board meeting. A Happy Hour could be held for members the day before, on Friday, September 29. Vests could be handed out to all the participants. Patrick and Pierre will assist in the execution of this project.
- Finance:
Patrick presented the 2022 financial report, as of today, and the related schedules. We have received our 2022 annual allocation from PIPSC, and the Region's finances are sound.
The report was moved by Patrick and seconded by Steve. All in favour.
The signature card was changed, sent to Finance in Ottawa and accepted by BMO. Réjean asked the Region to give him funds in the amount of $200 to organize the Quebec City Retired Members Guild. The funds will help pay for the part of the AGM that will relaunch the Guild with a brand new executive of 5 people. Moved by Réjean and seconded by Denis; all in favour.
Pierre reminded us that we had until October 5th to apply for a seat in the 2023 National committees. In this regard, Denis applied for a position on the By-Laws and Policies Committee. Pierre will ask our current representative on this committee, Luc Denis, to report on his work.
10. Task Force on Official Languages (TFOL):
Yvon relayed information about Official Languages to us.
The memorandum submitted by his committee was accepted by PIPSC.
Bill C-13 is now at its 3rd reading and we will be lobbying politicians with our partners from FTQ.
11. New Member Orientation package Approval:
Pierre said that he forwarded to the Board the Orientation package that the Quebec Youth Committee created some time ago. It will be used for national purposes.
12. Joint Learning Program (JLP) on OHS:
The schedule for the new JLP program has been web posted. Please note that this training is fully paid for by the employer.
We officially have 33 seats to attend the upcoming FTQ convention in Montreal, on January 16-19. Pierre mentioned that he is not planning to use all of our available seats. Of course, he invited our current regional executive members and he said he would like to invite a few Board directors. We recommended that Pierre extend an invitation to all Branch Presidents, as well as to our committee representatives, so they can target interested and activist candidates who would dive deep into this convention. (Action: Pierre)
14. 2023/2024 Schedule Changes:
Nancy provided some clarification on the dates and locations determined during our last meeting:
Event: 2023 Regional Council;
Dates: May 4-6, 2023 (alternative option);
Location: Estrimont-Orford;
Persons in charge: organizing committee (Réjean, Steve and Jean), coordinator with hotels (Nancy), director (Pierre) and Robert as advisor.
Event: 2024 Labour School;
Dates: February 7 to 10, 2024;
Location: Delta Trois-Rivières;
Persons in charge: training committee (Karine, Denis and Robert), coordinator with hotels (Nancy) and director (Pierre).
Event: 2024 Regional Council;
Dates: May 9-11, 2024;
Location: Estrimont-Orford;
Persons in charge: organizing committee (Réjean, Steve and Jean), hotel manager (Nancy), director (Pierre) and Patrick as alternate.
15. Miscellaneous:
a) Funds for a sub-group AGM:
Jean said that Better Together has provided $7,115 to the AFS Sub-Group for its AGM.
Besides the substantial amount of money given to this sub-group, the nature of the expenses considered is shocking: gift cards for everyone, door prizes worth over $100 and other questionable expenses. It would be good to know if PIPSC approved the whole thing and if everyone has the same level of financial leeway.
b) Membership criteria for subgroups or branches:
Jean wondered about what criteria makes a member belong to a particular subgroup or branch. Is it the home address, the office address, the office to which he reports or something else?
Steve forwarded us, via email, a response from Membership Services which stated that unless there is a permanent telework agreement, the employee's physical work location would prevail, should the pandemic measures be removed.
Pierre instead believes that members can choose their membership as long as their choice does not result in additional costs for PIPSC.
He will confirm this at the next Board meeting. (follow-up: Pierre)
16. Roundtable:
a) Steve: He told us that the National Information Technology Services and Projects Committee is improving. The President seems determined to make the division more functional.
17. Date of the next meeting:
The next executive meeting will be held on Thursday afternoon, December 8, 2022, at the regional office, followed by a meeting with PIPSC staff in Montreal as part of our annual dinner. If need be, time will be allotted the following day, December 9, to further discuss the topics brought up at the AGM.
18. Closing Remarks and Adjournment.
Pierre thanked everyone for their participation, and the meeting was adjourned.