During last year’s Annual General Meeting, we asked #PIPSC members why the AGM is meaningful to them. The AGM is an opportunity to get involved, share ideas, and learn from each other. Take a look!

On Wednesday, November 29, 2023, President Jennifer Carr took the stage to give her closing remarks.

President Jennifer Carr thanked the delegates for their participation and interest in the Institute's business. The President also thanked facilitators, panelists, speakers, and moderators for leading impactful sessions. The President also acknowledged the tireless efforts of the AGM Task Force, the Convention Core Team, and PIPSC staff who contributed to the success of the  PIPSC Convention 2023 and 104th Annual General Meeting. 

President Carr concluded her remarks with a short video capturing the highlights of the event:

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.

To date, we’ve awarded $1,106,500 in scholarships to 616 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.

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AGM delegates were pleased to welcome two of Turtle Island’s leading Indigenous and LGBTQ2s+ advocates, Dr. James Makokis & Anthony Johnson, to learn about active allyship.

In their presentation to the delegation, Dr. James Makokis & Anthony Johnson spoke about Indigenous History, their families’ history, the Treaty, and how we’re supposed to be living in the Great Turtle Island. 

When speaking to the role of the public service, Dr. Makokis challenged members to look at the realities and the statistics that government policies have done to Indigenous Peoples and other groups, and look into ways to reverse wrongdoings. 

“To have growth, you need to go through growing pains. Therefore, to make progress, we have to get comfortable with being uncomfortable.”

Dr. Makokis asked members to unpack the departments that they work in and think of the common principles of the Treaty and how their work violates them. 

As government employees, the work of PIPSC members can be triggering Indigenous Peoples because of generations of harm caused by democratic parliaments. So, it is important to understand and to work from a trauma-informed perspective with Indigenous Peoples and recognize the cause of some stress responses from the community. 

Anthony Johnson expanded on the concept of allyship and solidarity. He equipped the delegates with tools to make them ready to engage with their diverse communities. And encouraged them to reflect on these 3 questions while operating in their work: What is the historical context that I’m operating in? What is the action that I want to see? What impact will that create?

Dr. James Makokis & Anthony Johnson are the first Two-Spirit couple to have made it on Canadian television, getting national recognition for their participation in The Amazing Race Canada. They used their appearance on the show to raise awareness for Two Spirit and gender inclusion. They also took the opportunity to dedicate their participation in the show to advocating for the rights and social movements to create new outcomes for Indigenous peoples.

AGM delegates welcomed with open hearts and minds, Honourable Jody Wilson-Raybould, former Member of Parliament, lawyer, advocate, and leader among Canada’s Indigenous Peoples. 

Honourable Wilson-Raybould shared her gratitude to public servants for being diligent workers who helped her accomplish the groundbreaking work during her time in different federal offices, and beyond. 

In her address to delegates, Honourable WIlson-Raybould introduced herself in her cultural way by sharing her traditional, familial, and professional background. She then offered her thoughts and reflections on Canada’s journey to Truth & Reconciliation. She also challenged PIPSC members to critically reflect on their own world views, the world views of Indigenous Peoples, and how they manifest themselves in the spaces and the work we do. 

The conversation with Honourable Wilson-Raybould was followed by a Q&A, where the topics of obstacles in Truth & Reconciliation in Canada, unions taking meaningful steps towards reconciliation, and the governance of First Nations in the country were addressed. 

Honourable Jody Wilson-Raybould is the bestselling author of three books, the political memoir “Indian” in the Cabinet: Speaking Truth to Power, which was a finalist for The Writers’ Trust Balsillie Prize for Public Policy and the Shaughnessy Cohen Prize for Political Writing; From Where I Stand: Rebuilding Indigenous Nations for a Stronger Canada; and, her most recent, True Reconciliation: How to Be a Force For Change.

President Jenn Carr presented awards to deserving Institute members for their exemplary and inspiring leadership and thanked the members of the Award Selection Panel 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.

Jonathan Fitzpatrick

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.

Stan Buday 

Chris Roach

President Achievement Award

The President's Achievement Award recognizes Institute members who exemplify the highest standards of service in their chosen field of work, and who have demonstrated a high level of commitment to promoting professionalism. The sciences, finance, engineering, health, procurement and informatics are among the more than seventy-five professional fields represented by PIPSC.

Matt MacLeod 

Rokib Hassan

AGM delegates welcomed, friend of the union, Alexandre Boulerice, Member of Parliament and NDP Labour critic, to openly discuss the link between the international political situation and members’ role as researchers, scientists, and professionals employed at the government.

Alexandre addressed the delegates with a speech followed by a Q&A period with questions coming from members attending the event in person and online. 

In his speech, Alexandre spoke on PIPSC members and their important role in running federal public services and the country’s democratic life. Members conduct important studies and have been at the forefront of important labour actions in the public service. 

Alexandre spoke on the uncertain and delicate political climate we are currently living in. We are seeing a trend towards populism and the extreme right in Western countries, including Canada, where we are faced with the rise of the Pierre Poilievre agenda. 

Unions and their members have the responsibility to put forward objective realities and lead in democratic and respectful debates. A lot of work needs to be done to push back against these trends. It’s up to us to organize and mobilize ourselves to bring back facts, studies, and science in public debates. When we work together, we will continue to make a difference, protect public services, defend union rights, defend human rights, and make sure we live in a just, respectful and equitable society. 

During the Q&A period, Alexandre and the delegates discussed the anticipated implementation of the anti-scab bill, future collaborations between his work and the union, preparing for the next federal elections, and the fight against back-to-work legislation. 

Alexandre Boulerice is a member of Parliament representing the riding of Rosemont—La Petite-Patrie, Quebec. He has been fighting for social and environmental justice since he first became a Federal Member of Parliament twelve years ago. In addition to serving as the party's Deputy Leader, Alexandre is the NDP's labour critic and is leading the fight to pass an anti-scab bill at the federal level. A proud Quebecer and trade unionist, he has made a name for himself with his outspokenness and remains determined to make Quebec's progressive labour movement’s voice heard.