From the President’s Desk
Dear Members,
After what was probably (and I would say hopefully!) the most important election of our lifetimes, I’m sure many of you are breathing a sigh of relief. Voters in the National Capital Regional have certainly sent an unequivocally strong and clear message that they want to support strong and efficient public services and stay away from divisive Trump-style political rhetoric.
With that being said, it remains clear that significant transformation of the government apparatus is on the agenda, and this will likely include reduction of spending including reducing reliance on external consultants. This is a topic PIPSC has long been advocating for as it has been demonstrated many times how outside consultants cost more than public servants. However, I’m concerned at the methodology (or the lack thereof) used by the Employer to ensure a transition plan so that our members can take on the work with appropriate training and tools while maintaining an appropriate workload. If you witness any problematic situation, please contact a Steward so we help resolve the issue and escalate as appropriate. Members are our eyes and ears on the ground.
Although no reduction of staffing has been announced at PSPC at this time, PIPSC believes that members should be well informed of their rights if they were ever affected by a Work force adjustment (WFA). This is why PIPSC has put together some great resources including flow charts, FAQs and webinars to explain the process. I encourage all members to review the website and contact a Steward if you have any questions. If you are ever affected by a WFA, please contact a Steward immediately to review and understand your options.
On April 29, your Sub-Group hosted a Virtual Lunch & Learn with Sean O’Reilly, President of the Institute. Sean discussed key topics for the Institute and its members including the recent Federal Elections results, Work force adjustment, reduction of consultant use, Return to Office and the Phoenix pay system. Members also had a chance to ask questions and engage in the discussion. Thanks to all who attended.
As many of you are aware, our Collective Agreement will expire on September 30, 2026. The NR Executive is already starting to plan its strategy for this upcoming round and to from the Bargaining Team. To that effect, the Executive nominated Kimberly Hradecky as the Bargaining Coordinator. A call-out for interest to join the Bargaining Team is currently underway, see details below.
Finally, I would like to wish a warm welcome to Alexander Elgin who was appointed by the Sub-Group Executive as a Member at Large on March 20. Alexander is a Senior Urban Planner with Real Property Services.
I hope everyone gets to enjoy some time off this Summer. I hope to see many of you at our upcoming events. Feel free to write to me, I would love to hear from you.
In Solidarity,
Charles Nellis (he/him), PMP, LEED Green Associate cnellis@pipsc.ca
(613) 793-4099
Upcoming Sub-Group Events
You Sub-Group Executive is very excited to present of series of events this coming year. Separate invitations will be sent by email for each of them, please ensure to check your inbox and register.
- Retirement Information Session – Virtual - Fall 2025
- Annual General Meeting (AGM) – Virtual – Tuesday December 2, 2025, 12 to 1 PM
If you have any ideas for events that you would like to see or help organize, let us know.
NR Group News
Join the NR Group Bargaining Team
The NR Group Executive will soon start preparing for the next round of collective bargaining. We’re seeking volunteers to join the NR Group bargaining team.
While some seats are reserved for the executive, we encourage all members to get involved and contribute directly to improving the NR Collective Agreement.
Participation requires a significant time commitment and training provided by PIPSC. This is a valuable opportunity to gain insights into the needs of your colleagues and the Treasury Board.
If you are interested, please send an email to nr_barg_team@pipsc.ca by May 29 with the following information:
- Name
- Department
- Region
- Current Classification (Engineer, Architect, or Land Surveyor)
- A paragraph describing why you are interested in this opportunity and what relevant skills and/or experience you would bring to the team.
Please answer the following questions:
- Are you an active NR member?
- Are you a steward?
- Are you on a Labour Management Committee?
- Do you identify as an equity-seeking group (optional)? If so, please specify.
The Executive strives to build a bargaining team representative of the NR Group. This includes geography and employment type, in addition to other equity, diversity and inclusion considerations. We want to ensure concerns and needs from across the group are voiced, so priority will be given to applications ensuring adequate representation.
NR Winter Newsletter
The latest edition of the NR Winter 2025 Newsletter is available.
Highlights include:
- President’s note
- 2024 NR Elections Results
- NRCan PIPSC Members Celebrated at Appreciation Lunch
PIPSC News
You Can’t Cut Your Way to Confidence: PIPSC Calls for Investment in Public Services After Election
The Professional Institute of the Public Service of Canada (PIPSC) congratulates the Liberal Party of Canada on winning the most seats in the 2025 federal election.
While it appears no party earned a majority of seats or the popular vote, all now share the responsibility of delivering for Canadians. In a Parliament without a clear mandate, the message from voters is unmistakable: Canadians want action that protects Canada’s future and improves their day-to-day lives—not partisan bickering or short-sighted cuts. Any party looking to hold onto power must demonstrate concrete progress on affordability, opportunity, and quality of life.
“At a time when Canadians are anxious about tariffs, affordability and rising costs, we need to strengthen what supports them—not weaken it," said Sean O’Reilly, President of PIPSC. “This means investing in the public services they rely on. You can’t balance the books on the backs of the people who keep this country running – and you can’t cut your way to confidence in the House.”
As the new government takes shape, all parties must resist the urge to scapegoat public services as a way to manage fiscal pressures. Public servants have always been there for Canadians—in crises, recovery, and uncertainty. The services they deliver provide stability and a lifeline in the toughest times. Cutting them won’t solve our challenges; it will only make them worse.
Instead, the new government must make choices that reflect the needs of Canadians and protect our long-term interests – including properly resourcing the CRA to crack down on corporate tax evasion and putting an end to wasteful outsourcing. These are resources that could help shoulder the economic burdens we face yet continue to drain billions from the public purse.
“PIPSC stands ready to work with this government—and with all parties in Parliament—to ensure public policy is driven by facts, fairness, and a commitment to the public good,” continued O’Reilly. “And we are equally prepared to defend our members and the services they provide if they are targeted by short-sighted efficiency stunts.”
Given renewed threats from the U.S.—not just in the form of tariffs, but in rhetoric that challenges our very sovereignty—the government must remember what sets Canada apart: a deep commitment to strong public institutions, universal social programs like healthcare, and public services that benefit everyone. These are not costs to be cut; they are core to who we are.
PIPSC Legacy Foundation
The Legacy Foundation is committed to supporting the next generation of professionals. The foundation’s sole purpose is to support the education of deserving young people across Canada.
The mission of the Legacy Foundation is to promote the intertwined values of professionalism and service, both to community and to country. This mission is accomplished by awarding scholarships for post-secondary education.
The pursuit of knowledge is a cornerstone value for PIPSC. We have always understood the importance of education to our members and to Canadian society.
Through the generous donations of our PIPSC community and corporate sponsors, the foundation has generated more than a million dollars in scholarships for young Canadians.
Consider making a donation to the Legacy Foundation or find out more on how your children or grand-children can apply for this scholarship.
Understanding workforce adjustment (WFA)
A workforce adjustment (WFA) situation arises when the service of an employee is no longer required because of:
- Lack of work
- Discontinuance of a function
- A relocation of a work unit where the employee does not wish to relocate
- An alternative delivery initiative
In some situations, only specific positions are involved in a WFA, while in other cases the adjustment may involve entire work sections, functions or departments.
The primary objective of WFA is to ensure continued employment.
- Continued employment does not necessarily mean continuation of work in the same or a similar position, or occupational group; accordingly, employees must not assume that their new job will be identical or similar to the vacated position.
PIPSC has prepared the following FAQ to help understand WFA. We have no indications that a WFA is being prepared at PSPC at this time.
ServicePlus
ServicePlus is your member benefits program where you can take advantage of preferential rates, discounts and savings on a variety of products and services available exclusively to members such insurance, retail, travel services, medical services, entertainment and many more. Make sure to check the website often as new partners and promotions appear regularly.
ServicePlus has partnered with an innovative Canadian company to bring you something that helps both today you and future you.
MedNow is a fully-licensed online pharmacy with truly exceptional pricing, (we checked), service and a network of pharmacies that can usually get your medications to you the same day. They offer a secure, simple to use app and website for ordering, optional automatic refills and renewals and a proprietary PillSmart system at no extra cost to make daily medications easy to take and hard to forget.
“But why?” you might ask, your medications are covered by your health insurance through your employer.
Well, first of all, costs will go down with Mednow, which is good.
Rising healthcare costs affect us all, so beyond being the right thing to do, reducing overall plan costs on medication means that there can be more money available for other services.
Update your Contact Information
Have you recently moved or changed your phone number? Or just unsure if we have the most recent contact information? If so, please ensure to Update your Contact Information. If you receive communication from PIPSC on your PSPC email address, please consider to change it to your personal email. Our emails are often blocked by the employer’s email system.
If you have colleagues that are currently not a member of PIPSC or new employees within your team, please make sure to share this link to sign up with them. New employees are not automatically members of PIPSC, they must sign up.
More PISPC News
Stay current on the latest News & Issues that is of concern to PIPSC visiting this web page.
We need your help!
We always need help to organize events and conduct other initiatives for the Sub-Group. Members can also attend our monthly Executive Meetings as observers to learn more about Union Business and contribute to their Sub-Group. If this is of interest to you, please reach out to cnellis@pipsc.ca
We are also always looking for Stewards to join our team to support members in the workplace. We are especially looking for Stewards that come from equity seeking groups including women, visual minorities, persons with disabilities, Indigenous individuals, and members of the 2SLGBTQIA+ Community. If this is of interest to you, please consult this link and don’t hesitate to reach to a fellow Steward to get a better understanding of the role and determine if it suits you.
We are also in need of volunteers to become members of local Occupational Health & Safety Committees as PIPSC Representatives. This is a great way to become more familiar with an important aspect of the workplace and contribute improve the safety of the workplace in collaboration with management. Please note that you can only become a member of the Committee of your official place of work. Training is available and offered by the Employer. Please reach out to cnellis@pipsc.ca if interested.
Your Feedback
If you have any questions, comments or concerns please contact anyone on the sub-group executive. We also look forward to your suggestions for lunch-and-learns, or any other type of event that would benefit the members of our sub-group.
If you require representation services or would like some advice on a situation arising in the workplace, please contact one of our stewards as soon as possible.