Prairie/NWT Regional Steward Council

October 15 -16, 2021

Delta Hotel

209 4^th Avenue SE

Calgary AB

Deadline for Registration – September 10, 2021

The Prairie/NWT Regional Steward Council will be held on Friday, October 15 and Saturday, October 16, 2021.  The location is the Delta Hotel in Calgary AB.  The Council will last 1.5 days beginning on Friday at 8:00 am with Registration.  The official meeting starts at 9:00 am on Friday, October 15.  On Saturday, the Council will start at 9:00 am and conclude at noon. We are in the process of planning a family friendly event for Friday evening, details TBA.

The intent of the Council is to provide training and information as well as an opportunity for stewards to expand their network.  Here are some of the items on the agenda:

• Workplace Violence 101 - understanding the differences between the previous and current regulations, walking through the new process and supporting members. The intent of this module is to familiarize stewards with the framework and increase their comfort in navigating this challenging topic.
• Alternative Dispute Resolutions (ADR) 101 - understanding the differences between the ADR methods, from ICMS to arbitration, and everything in between. The intent of this module is to increase awareness of the various resolution methods available to members.
• Return to Office 101 - understanding the common issues that arise with return to office, following work from home due to the pandemic. The intent of this module is to cover the high notes of the support our members need with respect to returning to offices, from accommodations to flexible arrangements. 
• Guest speaker Janet Merlo. Janet is a former member of the Royal Canadian Mounted Police and representative plaintiff in a historical class action law suit against the force for gender based harassment. You can read her full bio at this link Janet Merlo RCMP (ret), Gender Based Harassment, Workplace Harassment | Atlantic Speakers Bureau

If you would like to attend the Council you will be receiving a separate invitation to register through Cvent.  (Please note that registration will not be accepted via telephone, fax or email. 

(Lunch on Friday, October 15 and Breakfast on Saturday, October 16 will be provided to the stewards only, no guests.  All other meals are per diem.)

Guest Rooms — accommodation for in-town registrants, with a check-in date of Friday, October 15, will be “upon request only”.  Taking into consideration the meeting end time of noon, accommodation for Saturday night is provided to stewards who cannot arrive home before 8:00 pm, travelling by the most direct route and excluding a meal stop.  The Office Administrator will book the hotel guest room for each steward as per the travel policy.  Parking charges will be paid by the steward and not charged to the master account. 

Cancellation — the cost of the hotel stay will be guaranteed and paid by the Institute via a master account.  Please be aware that PIPSC will be charged in full for any rooms booked and not released by the deadline, whether they are occupied or not.  Depending on the circumstances of the cancellation, the cost may be recovered from the steward. Should you have to cancel the hotel guest room at the last moment, please contact the hotel directly 48 hours prior to your arrival date to cancel your booking.  For your registration cancellation, notify Prashila Chand, Office Administrator, Edmonton PIPSC Office.  Prashila can be contacted at (780) 428-1347 or 1-800-661-3939, extension 3421.  Proof of cancellation must include the cancellation number and the name of the hotel agent that accepted same.  Any extra services charged to the room are to be paid by the steward. 

Stewards will be responsible for booking their travel (flight and car rental) using Concur.  You need a Concur account. Please read the following information on how to create an account and book your travel in Concur.  Travel | The Professional Institute of the Public Service of Canada (pipsc.ca)

For stewards that are driving a personal vehicle, you can claim the lesser of the actual round trip kilometers driven or $700.  This cap is based on Air Canada Flight Pass charges and ground transportation.  Compensatory salary and meal expenses will be reimbursed based on travel by plane.

Compensation For Leave – Institute policy allows for compensating participants who use various types of leave for attendance at a Steward Council.

General Expenses — expenses incurred by participants will be reimbursed in accordance with the PIPSC  Policy which is available at the following link:

Policy on Financial Support for Member Participation - (BOD - 26Jul19).docx - Google Docs

We look forward to having a rewarding and enjoyable Steward Council and to seeing you in person. 

Thank you,

Nancy McCune

Director, Prairie/NWT Region