Ottawa, December 8, 2022 – The Professional Institute of the Public Service of Canada – a union representing over 70,000 federal and provincial public sector workers – has launched billboards in key locations to urge the Ford government to respect frontline workers and repeal Bill 124. Locations include Sylvia Jones’ riding – the Health Minister who has championed Bill 124 in the face of widespread public opposition and now, a court ruling that finds the law unconstitutional. 

The billboards went up in response to the November 29 ruling by the Ontario Superior Court striking down the legislation. The Court found that the Ford government’s bill capping wage and benefit increases for registered nurses, nurse practitioners, healthcare professionals and other public-sector workers at 1% was a “substantial infringement” on the collective bargaining rights guaranteed under the Charter of Rights.

“This is a decisive judgment from the Court”, said Jennifer Carr, President of PIPSC. “It represents a historic victory for public sector workers and reinforces that our rights to free and fair collective bargaining cannot simply be legislated away by governments that don’t want to negotiate or give their burned out frontline staff respectable wages.”

PIPSC, along with other unions and the Ontario Federation of Labour that together represent hundreds of thousands of members impacted by the unconstitutional law, are ramping up pressure on the Ford government in hopes of preventing them from appealing this landmark ruling.

“For too long, Premier Doug Ford and Health Minister Sylvia Jones have ignored the cries of overworked and underpaid healthcare professionals by bulldozing through Bill 124,” President Carr continued. “These billboards are a reminder that not only does the public stand behind frontline workers against this disrespectful, wage-slashing law – but now, so do the courts. Given the Court decision, the work frontline workers do to keep this province running, and the overwhelming support from Ontarians, the Ford government must forgo an appeal and repeal Bill 124. ”

PIPSC represents over 70,000 members across Canada. In Ontario, PIPSC represents hundreds of healthcare professionals working in cancer centres at Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre in Toronto, the Juravinski Cancer Centre in Hamilton, the Walker Family Cancer Centre in Niagara, the Windsor Regional Hospital and the Thunder Bay Regional Health Sciences Centre. PIPSC also represents medical physicists throughout Ontario and IT professionals at the University of Ottawa that are impacted by Bill 124. 

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For more information: Johanne Fillion, 613-883-4900 (mobile), jfillion@pipsc.ca

On November 29, 2022 Treasury Board President Mona Fortier announced the appointment of an expert panel to review the Public Servants Disclosure Protection Act (PSDPA).

PIPSC welcomes the review and has long called for improvements to the existing legislation. We had previously submitted our comments on updating the PSDPA to the House of Commons Standing Committee on Government Operations and Estimates in February 2017 - it has certainly taken a great deal of time for the government to move forward on this critical matter.

Canadians rely on the services provided daily by our members to make their lives safer, healthier and more prosperous. While rare, the disclosure of wrongdoing must also be considered a service to our fellow citizens. When a public service professional has tried every other avenue to resolve a significant problem, only to have their concerns dismissed by higher-level authorities, they are acting with integrity, honesty and in line with their dedication to protecting and serving the public good.

Sadly, for many of our members, whistleblowing has also meant endangering or sacrificing their career for the sake of the public interest. It shouldn't be that way. We need to ensure insurmountable barriers are not put in the way of these courageous and ethical public service professionals.

We are also very proud that PIPSC Director of Labour Relations David Yazbeck has been appointed to the panel. David brings decades of labour law experience and an in-depth knowledge of the issues to the table and we are very pleased that he has been recognized as a true subject matter expert by the government.

We look forward to engaging with the panel to review the legislation towards the implementation of recommendations that will not only protect whistleblowers when they come forward, but the interests of the Canadian public at large.

Ottawa, November 28, 2022 – In legislation introduced on November 24, the Blaine Higgs Conservative government is taking aim at public service workers and their rights to fair collective bargaining and to take job action. This bill enshrines unfair rules around job action notice, gives the government the ability to bring in non-unionized scab workers and more power to change the work schedules of essential workers.

“This legislation is a direct attack on public service workers,” said Jennifer Carr, President of the Professional Institute of the Public Service of Canada (PIPSC). “These are the folks who have worked tirelessly to provide critical services to the people of New Brunswick, particularly over the last few years through the pandemic.”

This legislation comes just weeks after Ontario Conservative Premier Doug Ford pushed through and then quickly repealed controversial and constitutionally-questionable legislation in Ontario. Bill 28 attempted to erase the hard-won labour rights of CUPE education workers and to force them to accept an unfair deal.

“Conservative governments across the country are taking aim at the constitutional rights of workers, and they are starting with their employees in the public service. We know that any attack on one group of workers’ rights is a signal that more are coming,” said Carr. “We must stand up and speak up against this legislation, and push the government to abandon this anti-worker agenda.”

In New Brunswick, PIPSC represents Crown Prosecutors, Crown Counsel, Legal Aid Services employees, agrologists and agronomists, engineers, architects and land surveyors, as well as veterinarians and veterinary pathologists.  

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For more information: Johanne Fillion, 613-883-4900 (mobile), jfillion@pipsc.ca

Legacy Foundation Scholarship Program 

Delegates viewed a video update on the Institute’s Legacy Foundation, including brief profiles of this year’s scholarship laureates.  

For more than 20 years, the Institute has been raising money to help kids all across the country. We’ve enabled kids to fulfill their dreams, we’ve funded life-changing resources for child amputees, and, most of all, we’ve funded scholarships for deserving kids.

This year we awarded 35 scholarships worth a total of $55,000.

To date, we’ve awarded $1,105,000 in scholarships to 577 students. 

Our scholarships are funded by the generous contributions of individual members, constituent bodies, and by corporate sponsors.

You can help us support a new generation of young professionals and make a difference in their lives.

DONATE

Founders’ scholarships

$1,500 scholarship sponsored by the Information Technology Group

• Tharun Ganeshram, Ottawa, ON (Vahini Ganeshram, AFS-CS), U of Waterloo

$1,500 scholarship

• Lucie Yang, Edmonton, AB (May Zhou, AFS-LS), U of T

$1,000 scholarships

• Heidi Elder, Ottawa, ON (Amy Elder, SP), U of Ottawa
• Beatrice Mowat, Coquitlam, BC (Suzanne L’Heureux, SP), U of Victoria

Sponsors' Series Scholarships

$5,000 scholarship

• Morgan Shusterman, Ottawa, ON (Allan Shusterman, OSFI-retired), Cape Breton U.

$1,500 scholarships

• Shariq Ahmed, Calgary, AB (Shah Ahmed, NEB), U of Calgary
• Serena Chen, Ottawa, ON (Sharon Deng, IT), U of Western Ontario
• Stephen Dunbar, Longview, AB (Rob Dunbar, AFS), U of Ottawa
• Sophie Feng, Port Moody, BC (Marie Wu, CP), Carnegie Mellon
• Dacian Filipescu, Victoria, BC (Dr. Cosmin Filipescu, RE), Camosun College
• Félix Lafortune, Candiac, QC (Yves Lafortune, RE-retired), Cégep de l'Outaouais
• Cameron MacDonald, Surrey, BC (Robert MacDonald, SP), Dartmouth College
• Brook Motty, Corner Brook, NL (David Motty, IT), Queen's 
• Stella Murphy, Halifax, NS (Charles Murphy, IT), Queen's 
• Veronika Podobed, Ottawa, ON (Dr. Serguei Podobed, NUREG), U of T
• Anjali Singh, Saint Andrews, NB (Dr. Rabindra Singh, SP), U of New Brunswick
• Austin Wang, Ottawa, ON (Huili Li, IT), U of Western Ontario
• Kelly Wang, Toronto, ON (Xihong Wang, SP), U of Waterloo
• Sherilyn Wen, Ottawa, ON (Mrs. Rui Mao, IT), Queen's
• Debbie Zhao, Ottawa, ON (Yong Guang, IT), U of Western Ontario

Boys and Girls Clubs Scholarships

$1,500 scholarships

• Kayley Baker (Mississauga, ON), U of T, Business
• Stephen Brown (Halifax, NS), Dalhousie University, Engineering
• Alyssa Cook (St. John’s, NL), Memorial University of Newfoundland, B.A.
• Gavin D’Souza (Lethbridge, AB), University of Lethbridge – Sciences
• Samuel Foster (Victoria, BC) University of Victoria, Health Sciences
• Vincent Garneau (Laval, QC), Dawson College, Accounting
• Manal Hamid (Ottawa, ON) Algonquin College, Health Sciences
• Isaac Howe (Fredericton, NB) University of New Brunswick, Sciences
• Patrick Kemp (Toronto, ON), York University, Life Sciences
• Blerta Kurti (Winnipeg, MB) University of Manitoba, Sciences   
• Anita Lee (London, ON), University of Western Ontario, Business
• Trevor Poirier (Orleans), Université de Québec en Outaouais, Sciences
• Teresa Talbot (Vancouver, BC) Simon Fraser – Psychology
• Danait Tekle (Orleans, ON) Carleton University, Computer Science
• Justin Thériault (Montréal, QC) University of Calgary, Child Health

Honouring the Stewards of the Year 

The “Steward of the Year” award acknowledges those who have gone “above and beyond” their duties to assist members and who have made extraordinary contributions to the Institute.

The 2020 and 2021 Stewards of the Year addressed the AGM delegates on video.

The 2022 stewards addressed the AGM delegates, and President Jenn Carr presented trophies to them.  President Carr also presented to the AGM the first ever National Chief Steward: Judith LeBlanc.

National Chief Steward

Regional Directors introduced their 2022 Stewards of the Year. 

2022 Stewards of the Year

Atlantic Region: Tony Chubbs (SP)

Québec Region: Karine Régimbald (SH)

National Capital Region: Fred Jamieson (CFIA-S&A)

Prairie/NWT Region: Kevin Jacobs (SP)

B.C./Yukon Region: Phil Johnson (SH)

Celebrating Outstanding Members 

President Jenn Carr presented awards to deserving Institute members for their exemplary and inspiring leadership and thanked the members of the Award Selection Panel – Chair Bert Crossman, Ralph Herman, and Nita Saville – for reviewing the nominations and for recommending these laureates.

Don't forget to check out the 2022 Stewards of the Year award recipients.

Institute Service Award  

The Institute Service Award recognizes outstanding service over a significant period of time, above and beyond that which might be expected of any devoted member who has served on many constituent body executives.

Life Membership Award

The Life Membership Award recognizes outstanding service of enduring value to the Institute by a regular or retired member of the Institute who has demonstrated leadership for at least ten years.

President Jenn Carr presented the Life Membership Awards to these outstanding members.

President’s Opening Address

At the 103^rd AGM, President Jenn Carr addressed the delegates, touching on the AGM theme “Reconnected” and outlining the goals for the year ahead.

The speech highlighted everything from bargaining to protecting pensions to reaching out to other members and Canadians. We will continue our work to make PIPSC an inclusive, diverse organization. We have a lot of good work ahead of us.

Watch the bilingual video

Full text of the President’s address.

Learn more about the accomplishments and continuous work of Canada’s largest union of professional employees in this year’s annual report.

Read the report

The report includes a message from President Jennifer Carr addressing some of 2022’s most pressing issues including returning to workplaces, bargaining, fighting wage restraint legislation, and more.

In Flanders Fields

by John McCrae

In Flanders fields the poppies blow
Between the crosses, row on row,
That mark our place; and in the sky
The larks, still bravely singing, fly
Scarce heard amid the guns below.

We are the Dead. Short days ago
We lived, felt dawn, saw sunset glow,
Loved and were loved, and now we lie
In Flanders fields.

Take up our quarrel with the foe:
To you from failing hands we throw
The torch; be yours to hold it high.
If ye break faith with us who die
We shall not sleep, though poppies grow
In Flanders fields.

John McCrae
1872-1918

The day before he wrote his famous poem, one of John McCrae's closest friends was killed in the fighting and buried in a makeshift grave with a simple wooden cross. Wild poppies were already beginning to bloom between the crosses marking the many graves. Unable to help his friend or any of the others who had died, McCrae gave them a voice through his poem.

In Flanders Fields was first published in England's Punch magazine in December 1915. Within months, this poem came to symbolize the sacrifices of all who were fighting in the First World War. Today, the poem continues to be a part of Remembrance Day ceremonies in Canada and other countries.

Veterans Affairs Canada