The Professional Institute of the Public Service of Canada
The Professional Institute of the Public Service of Canada
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Report of the Professional Recognition & Qualifications Committee

Presented to the 102nd Annual General Meeting

The past 2 years have been difficult for Canada and the world due to Covid-19. Our professionals that are represented by the Institute have been working on the front lines and behind the scenes delivering crucial services to Canadians during this Pandemic and we need to continue to ensure their Professionalism is recognized. As I reported last year with the limited time we had we had developed some high level goals. This year we were able to meet a little more frequently and we held our first in person hybrid meeting in September. We have another in person hybrid meeting scheduled for late November to continue our work. One of the things we want to do is member engagement on Professionalism and Deprofessionalisation, we are initially planning to do a number of webinars with members. Keep an eye out for these in the near future.

We have also started to explore a number of different potential actions that align with our goals:

  1. Defining the meaning of a professional and professional Integrity and publishing and enshrining it in collective agreements

Actions:

  • Professional dues in collective agreements
  • Develop a common definition of professional
  1. Advocating against De-professionalization and working with existing groups (NR, CS and others) to come up with common strategies

Actions:

  • Coordinate with existing committees in NR, CS,etc
  • Create a national Deprofessionalisation Working Group
  • Exit Interviews
  1. Champion Career and Professional Development for: 
    • Continuing professional education;
    • Maintaining professional designation or licensure and; 
    • soft skills (leadership, effective speaking, etc)

Actions: 

  • Getting language in collective agreements allowing hours and reimbursement to do career and professional development 
  • Develop PIPSC training opportunities
  • Mentoring
  • Advise on Future Skills Initiatives
  1. Strengthening our linkages both internal and external to PIPSC.

Actions:

  • Brief Departmental consultation teams
  • Examine External organizations position on professionalism and deprofessionalisation
  • More coordination and attendance with outside organizations

If you have any input please feel free to send it our way so we can potentially integrate it.

This will be my last year as chair of the PRQC but I hope to be a Board Liaison to the committee next year so I can continue to help the committee achieve its goals. I would like to thank the members and friends of the PRQC for their dedication and continued involvement this past year. The members of the committee are: Barbara Broom (SH, ATL), Johanne Potvin (AFS,QUE), John Eng (NR, NCR), Tim Azab (AFS, ONT), Rohit Chhabra (CFIA-VM, PRAI/NWT) and Nashwa Tamraz (CS, BC/Yukon). Our friends are: Thomas Landry (SP, ATL), Gerry Saunders (SH, ATL), Glen Schjerning (NR, NCR) and Kevin Jacobs (SP, PRAI/NWT). I would also like to thank our Board Liaison Vice-President Gary Corbett and our staff resources Erica Bernstein and Marielle Nadon.

In Solidarity,

Sean O’Reilly
PRQC Chair