PIPSC Moncton Branch of the Atlantic Region
MINUTES of 2017 Branch AGM
September 19, 2017
Location: Beausejour Curling Club Inc, Moncton, NB
Branch Executives in attendance:
Name - Position (Group / Dept. or Agency)
Brian Belliveau - President (CS/SSC)
Philippe Ferron- Vice President (CS/SSC)
Francis Poirier- Treasurer (CS/SSC)
Mike Dixon- Secretary (CS/ESDC)
Gilles Bourque - Member at Large (CS/CSC)
Fernand Hebert - Member at Large (SP/EC)
Mike Crozier- Member at Large (CS/ACOA)
Thane Reeves- Member at Large (CS/DFO)
Ginette Leblanc – Member at Large (Retired, CRA)
Absent:
Kelly MacKinnon - Member at Large (AU/CRA)
Denis Robichaud - Member at Large (AFS/CRA)
Guests:
Michael Pauley, PIPSC Atlantic Region Executive
Total member and guests: 40
Branch President's Opening Remarks:
Moncton Branch President, Brian Belliveau, called the AGM to order at 6:30pm.
He welcomed the Moncton delegates to the Crown Plaza. He introduced guest Mike Pauley who is a member of the Atlantic Regional Executive and then proceeded to do a roll call and introduction of the current members of the Branch Executive.
Brian advised members that meeting materials, including the 2017 agenda, previous AGM minutes, and financial statements for 2016 had been prepared and distributed to all delegates.
Brian provided the AGM with updates on several topics of interest including; Phoenix issues, the status of the Fredericton NB satellite office, Bill C27, status of several Collective Agreements that had been signed as also new PIPSC members who would be joining from the civilian employees of the RCMP.
He informed the AGM that the Branch Executive positons up for election were Vice President, Secretary and Members at Large and that nominations would be accepted from the floor of the AGM.
Business
Motion #1 - Ginette Leblanc moved and Gilles Bourque seconded that the agenda be approved → Carried.
Motion #2 – Gilles Bourque moved and Mike Crozier seconded that the minutes of the 2016 AGM be accepted. → Carried.
Treasurer’s Report
Francis Poirier distributed and presented the Branch’s Statement of Fund Utilization report for the period of January 1, 2016 to December 31, 2016. Questions and answers ensued.
Motion #3 - Ginette Leblanc moved and Calvin Martini seconded that the report be accepted → Carried.
Elections
Atlantic Region Executive member Mike Pauley conducted the elections.
Branch Vice-President (2 yr term): Ginette Leblanc was nominated by Brian Belliveau. Ginette accepted. Mike Pauley called for other nominations three additional times. There being none, Ginette was acclaimed as Branch Vice President.
Branch Secretary (2 yr term): Kelly MacKinnon was nominated by Mike Dixon. Kelly had accepted the nomination by email in advance of the AGM as she was unable to attend. Mike Pauley called for other nominations three additional times. There being none, Kelly MacKinnon was acclaimed as Branch Secretary.
3 Members at Large (2 yr term):
- Mike Dixon nominated himself.
- Fred Basque was nominated by Mike Crozier, Fred accepted.
There being no additional nominations all 3 nominees above were acclaimed.
Elections were closed with a remark that there was still one vacant position. Anyone interested in joining the Branch Executive was invited to express their interest to any Branch Executive.
Atlantic Director’s Report
PIPSC Atlantic Region Director Kim Skanes was unable to attend. Mike Pauley attended in her stead.
Mike is a member of the Atlantic Region Executive who works for the Province of New Brunswick as an Engineer. He is also a member of the PIPSC Atlantic Region Training Committee.
Mike thanked the Moncton Branch for the opportunity to attend their AGM.
On behalf of Kim, Mike provided updates on several national and regional initiatives and issues.
The focus of Mike’s address concerned Bill-C27 and the recent changes the Province of NB had made to the pension plan of public servants, including PIPSC members, employed by the Province of NB.
Mike urged all AGM attendees to educate themselves on the changes Bill-C27 proposes and the potential negative impact on their and their colleague’s pensions.
He urged all members to contact their MLAs and MPs by email and/or the postcards printed by PIPSC.
Mike challenged the Moncton Branch to make a special effort in education its members, and encouraging them to participate in the email and postcard campaign to have Bill C-27 defeated.
http://pipsc.ca/news-issues/c-27
Motion #4 Brian Belliveau moved and Ginette Leblanc seconded that the meeting adjourn at 8:30 pm. → Carried
Appendix re: C-27
http://pipsc.ca/news-issues/c-27/bill-c-27-in-news-and-hopefully-out-house-commons
Bill C-27: In the News, and Hopefully Out of the House of Commons
Over the past year, PIPSC has taken many actions to oppose Bill C-27, which would allow federally regulated employers to convert secure defined-benefit pensions into target benefit plans. We’ve advocated that Bill C-27 should not go forward, arguing that it constitutes a dangerous attack on the security of current and future retirees’ incomes. Pension benefits are deferred compensation, and employees have already provided their services in exchange for compensation during retirement years. Although the Bill would not directly impact most federal public sector workers, it sets a dangerous precedent for doing so in the future. Shortly after it was introduced, President Daviau wrote to the Minister of Finance expressing PIPSC’s opposition and we launched our own member-driven postcard campaign opposing the Bill.
In the last few weeks we have seen a lot of renewed coverage about pensions – and about Bill C-27. Questions concerning the Finance Minister’s holdings in Morneau Sheppell, his family’s pension consulting firm, have raised concerns about a perceived conflict of interest. We hope that these revelations, along with renewed debate about the Bill, mean the government will not be proceeding with C-27.
We will of course continue to vigorously oppose Bill C-27 and look for opportunities to instead strengthen the retirement security of our members and all Canadians.