October 10, 2017 is World Mental Health Day. The Institute is pleased to announce that the Mental Health Resource Guide is now available! The Guide is a comprehensive tool-kit that will help you recognize the signs of mental illness, provides advice on starting these difficult conversations and includes information on where to access resources for support.

PIPSC is committed to supporting mentally healthy workplaces for all, and we pride ourselves in providing our leaders and members alike with tools they need to succeed.

With an estimated one in five Canadians experiencing a mental health issue every year, odds are you or someone you know is affected. In the workplace, this becomes especially problematic because while you might recognize the signs of a mental health issue, these types of conversations can be difficult and sensitive when it involves a colleague.

We recognize that education is an essential component in raising awareness and ensuring that those experiencing these types of issues are given the help they need.

We all have an important role to play in ensuring that our workplaces are mentally healthy and with this guide you will be better equipped to deal with what is quickly becoming the mental health epidemic.

Together we can break the stigma!

For more information: education@pipsc.ca

The Institute joins its fellow National Joint Council (NJC) bargaining agents in calling for more and better consultation on the Treasury Board Policy Suite Reset, an initiative introduced in 2014 “to streamline and clarify Treasury Board policy instruments while shifting public service culture towards a focus on better service and results.” (*)

PIPSC believes that the Reset has grown beyond the scope of its mandate, particularly when it comes to Treasury Board policies on people management. On these policies, the initiative is moving towards the elimination of clear accountability at the highest levels and fails to provide clear guidelines on such important workplace issues as daycare, employment equity, duty to accommodate, harassment, terms and conditions of employment, and many more.

The significance and scope of the proposed changes is such that the consultation process must be extended and re-oriented to include the participation of relevant NJC committees and subject matter experts. This will result in much more meaningful consultation and collaboration between the parties.

NJC bargaining agents raised these issues with the Treasury Board Secretariat’s Chief Human Resources Officer in a letter earlier this month. We look forward to her response to our concerns.

(*) As defined on the Canada School of Public Service web site

The Institute’s submission to the House of Commons Standing Committee on Finance regarding the 2018-19 Pre-Budget Consultation is now available online.

PIPSC believes the next federal budget should address the following priorities:

(1) Invest in Tax Fairness:

• Commit $400 million, annually and ongoing, to enhance the CRA’s ability to target tax haven abuse, corporate tax avoidance and evasion, and complex tax schemes.

• Consult with front-line workers and invest in the training, technology and infrastructure required to keep pace with tax cheats.

• Close tax loopholes and overhaul Canada's tax and secrecy laws that allow some to evade taxes.

(2) Withdraw Bill C-27:

• PIPSC recommends that the federal government withdraw Bill C-27 and create a legislative and economic environment in which defined benefit pension plans can actually thrive.

(3) Restore Public Science:

• Hire more scientists and researchers to replace the 1,500 federal scientists lost prior to 2015.

• Invest in government scientific capacity at federal departments and agencies – as opposed to only favouring non-government activities. A healthy Canadian scientific and research community depends on both.

• Conduct meaningful consultation with PIPSC’s scientific community in advance of the science infrastructure initiatives that will be carried out in the coming years.

(4) Reduce Outsourcing, Increase Insourcing:

• The government should create a task force with unions to reduce outsourcing, fix problems and build institutional knowledge within the Federal Public Service. The federal government makes up one of the largest IT enterprises in the country. It should listen to its employees’ advice, trust their abilities and train them to address tomorrow’s problems.

• Reduce reliance on outside IT and other professional services to 2005-06 levels by 2019-20.

Don’t just take our word for it. Ask the experts who just published the International Civil Service Effectiveness (InCiSE) Index 2017. Canada’s public servants are number one!

And you can help keep it that way by visiting our new action.pipsc.ca member website, where you’ll be able to learn more about our “Best in the World” advertising campaign.

From Labour Day to the end of October, PIPSC will be running street ads in the National Capital Region on Wellington and Sparks streets and in Hull near Place du Portage, as well as elevator ads in office buildings located in the downtown Ottawa core.

These ads feature six PIPSC members, government professionals like you, from across Canada. Read their profiles, watch their videos, and find out what they do and why their work is so important to Canadians from coast to coast.

And on action.pipsc.ca, you’ll be able to endorse our call for more investments in Canada’s professional public service.

We’re the best! Let’s keep it that way.

Andrew

Proud to be protecting jobs

Cecilia

Protecting ecosystems: we’re in it together

Claude

Lord of Canada's photo history

Eva

A civilian in the military: pride and purpose

James

Making Canadian history

Valerie

Being there to care

PIPSC members are invited to participate in the following Canadian Labour Congress Labour Day events:

Atlantic Region:

http://canadianlabour.ca/event-calendar/all-events/labour-day-events-2017-atlantic-region-september-2-4

Ontario Region :

http://canadianlabour.ca/event-calendar/all-events/labour-day-events-2017-ontario-region-september-2-4

Prairie/NWT Region:

http://canadianlabour.ca/event-calendar/all-events/labour-day-events-2017-prairie-region-september-2-4

BC/Yukon Region :

http://canadianlabour.ca/event-calendar/all-events/labour-day-events-2017-pacific-region-september-2-10

In Solidarity,

The Mobilization Team

Happy 150th birthday to the greatest country in the world!

From the 55,000 professionals across Canada’s federal and provincial public sectors who proudly serve Canadians every day and the union that represents them, the Professional Institute of the Public Service of Canada, a happy 150^th birthday to the greatest country in the world!

Better Together!

Debi Daviau,
President 

PIPSC is proud to announce that its Head Office building located at 250 Tremblay Road in Ottawa is the recipient of a Building Owners and Managers Association of Canada BOMA BEST Silver certification, which recognizes excellence in energy and environmental management and performance in commercial real estate. BOMA BEST is Canada’s largest environmental assessment and certification program for existing buildings.

The Institute’s Head Office had previously been certified at the Bronze level. These awards not only confirm the quality of the building, they demonstrate the care taken by PIPSC in managing this valuable asset on behalf of its members. Real estate professionals, including those employed by the federal government, use the BOMA Best program as a benchmark when evaluating properties for potential tenants.