The 98th Annual General Meeting of the Institute was adjourned on Saturday, November 18, 2017 at  6:10  p.m.

At 6:10 p.m. on Saturday, November 18, 2017, President Debi Daviau returned to the podium to give her closing remarks.

President Daviau thanked the delegates for engaging in the debates and for being interested in the affairs of the Institute. The President also thanked AGM Chairs Marilyn Best and Laurent Joncas, who were ably assisted by Robert Trudeau, Parliamentarian.  The president also acknowledged the tremendous efforts of the staff who contributed so much to the success of the event.

President Daviau introduced a short video which captured the highlights of this 98^th Annual General Meeting.

PIPSC President and Legacy Foundation Chair Debi Daviau thanked the members in all the Regions for their fundraising efforts and contributions to the Legacy Foundation.

At the 2014 AGM, we launched a friendly competition among PIPSC Regions to see which Region could raise the most money per capita for scholarships during the year.

The winning Region would earn the “Legacy Cup” plus an extra scholarship for a student in their Region.

Thanks to the members in all of the Regions for stepping up and contributing generously to this worthy cause.

President Daviau and Director Del Dickson presented the Legacy Cup to Kim Skanes, Director of the Atlantic Region.

On behalf of her Region, Kim Skanes challenged the other regions to try to raise enough money to take the cup away from the Atlantic Region at the 2018 PIPSC AGM.

We are making a difference in the lives of Canadian youth. They represent the future of this country.

Join us so we can be “Better together.”

For more information, visit www.pipsc.ca/legacy

Interested delegates met to discuss the Institute’s initiatives to support women in science.  Delegates were invited to brainstorm:

• Specific recommendations for policy or legislative change.
• Specific initiatives the union can undertake to support and educate our membership
• Encouraging more women to enter STEM careers (improve the labour market availability) is an area our members are equipped to support

PIPSC has undertaken to support women in science through the Science Advisory Committee’s 2017-19 Strategic Plan.

Recommendations will be included in an Institute Gender Report that will be released in early 2018.

The Gender Report will include findings from the 2017 PIPSC Science Survey, provide information on the number and percentage of women in the PIPSC science groups, and compare the percentage of women in science with 2016 Census Labour Market Availability estimates.

Before dinner on Friday, November 17, delegates viewed a video update on the Institute’s Legacy Foundation, including brief profiles of this year’s scholarship laureates.  

For 18 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 41 scholarships worth a total of $58,750.

To date, we’ve awarded $770,750 in scholarships to 374 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.

Visit www.pipsc.ca/legacy to find out more.

During lunch and health breaks, members benefited from the presence of our ServicePlus partners to learn about products and services available to them at advantageous rates. Visitors to the various booths also qualified for prizes which were provided by the exhibitors.

Congratulations to the winners of the ServicePlus draws and thank you to our partners for the prizes they contributed.

ServicePlus, is the Professional Institute's member benefits program where you can take advantage of preferential rates and savings on lifestyle protection, financial and consumer products and services.

President Debi Daviau presented awards to five 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.

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.

President’s Achievement Award 

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.

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.

On video, Regional Directors introduced their Stewards of the Year.  The distinguished stewards addressed the AGM delegates, and President Debi Daviau presented trophies to them.

2017 Stewards of the Year

Delegates viewed a video that outlined the new model for education and training for Institute members.

Members’ training needs have become the guiding principles of the new education model, according to the Training and Education Committee.

Based on a recent survey of members and stewards, the new model is inclusive, flexible and allows for specialization in members’ areas of interest.

The new training program offers:

• Clear and flexible learning paths
• Diversified and specialized training that allows you to choose training based on your interests
• New delivery methods
• Support and training to empower stewards
• Training to help all of us to prepare for the difficult challenges we face as public service employees, now and in the future

To help the Institute develop training based members’ areas of interest, members are encouraged to fill out an expression form, available from Education staff.  education@pipsc.ca

New online training on Psychologically Health Workplaces will be released in early 2018. 

Members can be proud of what PIPSC has accomplished over the past year.

Members can also be proud of what they do every day for Canadians.  Others deserve to know and celebrate what PIPSC members do.

For that reason, PIPSC launched this year the first issue of a new publication, Better Together, which showcases our members, the variety of the work they do, and the value they bring to Canadians.  We have given a copy to every MP.

The Institute launched an ad campaign in bus shelters, office buildings, and online.

In addition, we also produced a set of accompanying videos.

Throughout the AGM, delegates viewed these video interviews with members.  

The videos are available online at action.pipsc.ca.