Dear members,
Here we are at the end of December already. And with 2024 wrapping up, I felt it appropriate to use this message as a bit of a year-in-review. We faced some very big challenges this year. The biggest one, unsurprisingly, being the never-ending saga with the Public Service Health Care Plan, and MSH International in particular. But we also accomplished a lot of other important things throughout the year. So, in what is becoming a bit of a tradition, here is my end of the year update for 2024.
MSH International and the unending PSHCP saga
Looking back, I find it interesting that 2024 seemed to start out well on this issue. In early January, I shared with you two positive new developments for both Canada Life and MSH International. The Employer had informed us that the new insurers were setting up emergency lines and introducing a new escalation process to prioritize urgent claims.
But this positive start did not last. Not even two weeks later, TBS announced that there had been a cyber incident on the computer systems of MSH International. This caused the insurer to shut down its services in order to protect its network from being further compromised. From this point on, things only got worse.
By March it became apparent that the Employer’s band-aid solutions were wholly inadequate to make up for the failings of Canada Life and MSH International. Reports kept coming in to us from members – particularly those abroad who depend on MSH International for their primary health care coverage – about the egregious failures of service and coverage they endured. It soon became clear to us that the employer was unable to hold its contractor to account on its own. In early April, with the situation still showing no concrete improvements, we decided to take our first procedural step and filed a policy grievance with the Treasury Board. Early on, this seemed to have had some impact, with the Employer announcing that they would begin imposing financial sanctions against Canada Life and its subcontractor, MSH International, to address the situation. Though it was good to see the Employer put in place a mechanism to ensure some kind of accountability, we knew it was never going to be enough. Nor would this be a sustainable, long-term solution to providing you with the adequate health care coverage to which you are entitled.
On 3 July, just over a year after the PSHCP’s transition to Canada Life and MSH International, PAFSO formally filed human rights complaints against both the Government of Canada and MSH International on behalf of members deprived of adequate health care coverage abroad. This was a big step – and certainly not one we were pleased to take. But, after repeated efforts to engage with the Employer, and in the absence of any real solutions on their part, we had no choice.
Later in July, I wrote to the President of the Treasury Board to ask for compliance with their legal duty to ensure that our Foreign Service community receives the healthcare which they are due. In my letter, I asked that immediate action be taken including 1) the provision to members of an alternate private insurance until the problems with the current plan are conclusively resolved; 2) the monitoring and enforcement of service standards; 3) a firm deadline for the full resolution and restoration of a functioning plan; and 4) a written commitment to prioritize the health and safety of employees and their families in dealing with the health insurance issue going forward. The reply I received did not address any of these concerns, nor did it take responsibility for the ongoing problems.
This is what led us to apply for a writ of mandamus to finally compel the Government of Canada to meet its obligation to provide our members serving abroad with a functional health care coverage. As I reported in my last message, on Friday December 6, we submitted our sworn affidavit detailing the significant issues experienced by our members following the PSHCP’s transition in July 2023. This is a detailed account of the stories and experiences many of you have shared with us and it is what will form the basis of what we and our legal counsel feel is a very compelling argument.
I never thought that the issues that first arose in 2023 would be spilling over into 2025. But unfortunately, that’s the reality of where we are. This file was a big priority for 2024 and will continue to be so for 2025. You can rest assured that I will be reporting back to you on every development as the situation evolves.
PAFSO in the news
2024 was also a particularly busy year for PAFSO in the media, as we began a concerted effort to raise our profile and establish ourselves as the main source of information on situations facing our members. In January I was interviewed by Dylan Robertson from the Canadian Press on the increasing difficulties of being posted to the United States. I also had my first national television appearance on this same subject, with David Aikin of Global News.
It was right around that time that the focus of the media’s attention then shifted to the PSHCP fiasco and the effect it was having on the Foreign Service. I spoke with Estelle Côté-Sroka from Radio-Canada for her piece on how the PSHCP’s switch to Canada Life and MSH is impacting federal employees abroad.
In April, CBC picked up the story and reached out to me as President of PAFSO for my take. They tackled the subject again in this interesting article a few weeks later. I also had the pleasure of being invited by Alan Neal of CBC Ottawa’s All in a Day to talk about the particular impacts this issue has on the Foreign Service community.
When we filed our human rights complaints in July, the media immediately picked up the story. Both The Hill Times and the Ottawa Citizen reached to us to discuss what led us to take this initiative.
And, most recently, I was asked to share my thoughts on the ongoing issue in an opinion piece for the Ottawa Citizen published last month.
I have been pleasantly surprised to see the media paying attention to our issue. There seems that there is a genuine and ongoing interest in the difficulties faced by Foreign Service officers and their families. I can promise you that I, along with PAFSO’s advocacy team, will continue to do what we can to make sure this story gets the coverage it deserves in the coming year.
The end is in sight for the cyclical review of the FSDs
As you know, the cyclical review of the Foreign Service Directives (FSDs) began back in 2023. That’s when both parties filed their proposals, as well as initiated a series of preliminary steps. The process continued throughout 2024. In fact, PAFSO met with other members of the National Joint Council (NJC) FSD Committee a total of 47 times this past year, and we are now approaching the final steps of the process. As you will understand, we are limited in terms of what information we are at liberty to share at this stage, but we hope to have a new version of the FSDs in effect by April 2025. We will share more with you as soon as we can.
The 2024 Triennial Survey
We learned a great deal from this year’s comprehensive triennial membership survey, which we use to inform our strategic planning and determine our priorities. The general makeup of our membership is mostly unchanged from three years ago, with 77% of you at GAC and the other 23% at IRCC. Though the percentage of members on assignment abroad is slightly higher, with 57% of respondents indicating being at post. Overall job satisfaction appears to be up. We now see 54% of respondents indicating that they will likely retire from the Foreign Service, which is up considerably from 2021. When it comes to factors that contribute to the difficulties of living and working abroad, 51% of respondents cited access to medical services. This is compounded by the over 70% of you who report having experienced significant issues in dealing with the new administrators of the PSHCP.
One of the most notable differences between 2021 and 2024 was the participation rate. In 2024, 639 of you took the time to complete this very comprehensive survey. That’s the highest number we’ve seen in over a decade. We are extremely grateful to everybody who took the time to participate.
Public Opinion Survey
In addition to surveying our membership, we decided to conduct our very first national public opinion poll to assess the baseline levels of public support and awareness of PAFSO and the Foreign Service.
The results were much better than expected. For example, 72 percent of those surveyed agreed that Foreign Service Officers are essential to Canada’s well-being. Among respondents who were aware of PAFSO before the survey, 86 percent said we were either “good” or “very good” at representing and advocating for you. 82 percent saw us as operating with credibility and integrity. And half of those surveyed would support limited labour action and/or rotating strikes in the event we can’t get a collective bargaining agreement guaranteeing safe and fair working conditions. And about the same number said they would consider taking some form of action to show their support for the Foreign Service.
PAFSO’s Strategic Plan
One of the many items presented at our 59th Annual general Meeting in October was our second strategic plan for the years 2025 through 2028. Building on the goals established in the first strategic plan, it is essentially the road map for our association over the coming years.
Basically, the plan stipulates that in order to meet the challenges and opportunities of the next three years, PAFSO requires a flexible and committed approach that is suited to both new and longstanding issues. In the coming years, we will be consolidating the integration of our professional association and representation responsibilities by shifting our organizational culture from a rights-based service model to one focused on shared interests and advocacy. This is how we will support our renewed strategic priorities and directions.
We feel it is important that you have a chance to consult plan and to make sure you understand the priorities and objectives it sets out for us. That’s why we have made it available here on our site. I invite you to take a moment to read it for yourselves.
PAFSO Breakfasts
2024 was another big year for our PAFSO virtual Breakfast series. In total, we held 9 sessions with topics ranging from the use of social media in the workplace to the investments landscape to the future of the FS group at GAC.
Our latest session was just this past Tuesday, when I was joined by PAFSO General Manager, Bertrand Myre to discuss PAFSO’s accomplishments for 2024. You can watch a recording of that session here, on our YouTube channel.
In fact, all of our sessions for the past number of years are now part of our extensive PAFSO Breakfast playlist. At this moment, the playlist contains more that 30 videos and is starting to become quite a useful compendium of information for our group. Check it out when you have a chance.
I’m quite proud of what this series has become and look forward to bringing you many more interesting topics and speakers in 2025. Stay tuned to these messages to find out about upcoming breakfast sessions.
Tradecraft Week 2024
In May, PAFSO’s Professional Committee put on yet another very successful series of virtual sessions centered around the theme of “What I wish I’d known for my first posting.” Our veteran panelists shared their lessons learned and general wisdom surrounding a variety of aspects of this profession. Megan Dalby, this year’s recipient of the Randy Orr Memorial Award, held a session focusing on the particular challenges faced by accompanying spouses.
The whole series culminated in early June with a springtime 5 à 7. Our modest office was filled to the brim with over 40 members gathered together for a wonderful evening of catching up over drinks and snacks. Despite the grey skies, we were able to make use of our rooftop patio right in the heart of Ottawa’s ByWard Market.
The PAFSO/AMBCanada Deborah Chatsis Indigenous Scholarship in International Affairs
As many of you know, PAFSO has been partnering with AMBCanada for a number of years on their scholarship initiative, named after former member Deborah Chatsis. Deborah was one of the first Indigenous women to join the Foreign Service and served as a two-time Ambassador. Sadly, Deborah passed away in 2022, shortly after becoming a member of the Order to Canada.
As I have reported before, thanks to your generous contributions, the scholarship has been a great success. Over the past four years, with matching gifts from Carleton University, we have raised well over $100,000. In 2022, the University endowed the scholarship by creating an actively managed pooled investment fund. This endowed gift makes approximately $4,000 available every year to selected students.
As this year’s “Giving Tuesday” was only a few weeks ago, we still haven’t received the final tally for the scholarship. This is an initiative we feel very proud about and we’ll be sure to update you as soon as we have those numbers.
Launch of the CIC/PAFSO mentorship program pilot
In November, we announced a new partnership with the National Capital and Waterloo branches of the Canadian International Council on a pilot initiative to connect students and early-career professionals with academics, officials, and other experts in the field of international affairs. Many of you signed up to seek mentorship and to share your expertise, making this initial offering a great success already. The pilot will run from January through April, and after that, we hope our partners will be interested in continuing the program and expanding to other branches in Canada.
PAFSO 60
We’ve also been planning for the year ahead. 2025 will mark the 60th anniversary of PAFSO’s founding as a professional association for Canada’s Foreign Service. Make sure you mark your calendars as we will be celebrating this milestone on June 4, 2025, with a reception at the National Gallery of Canada in Ottawa. The evening will also feature a special PAFSO 60 Diamond Jubilee award to be presented to a deserving colleague. I hope you will be able to join us for PAFSO 60, a special evening to reflect on the past, present and future of PAFSO and the Foreign Service.
We will have more details on the event and the award in the coming weeks. But, in the meantime, if you would like to help us with putting on this event, the Awards Committee is always on the lookout for volunteers. If you have some time to lend, please contact Marty Johnston to find out more about how you can help out.
Webinar on the Future of the FS Group at IRCC January 9 at 1200 Ottawa time
I’m pleased to announce our first webinar for 2025, featuring Sylvain de Cotret, Director of Workforce Management at IRCC, who will discuss his department’s plans for the future of the FS group. Please click here to register for the session.
If you have specific questions you would like me to raise with Sylvain during the discussion, please send them to info@pafso.com before close of business Ottawa time on January 7.
Well, that wraps it up, not only for this week, but also for 2024. As always, if anything you have concerns at work, don’t hesitate to reach out to us. Are you having issues with your pay? Do you feel harassed or discriminated against? Do you have a grievance or a staffing complaint? Or do you just want some clarifications on our collective agreement or the FSDs? Whatever the case, PAFSO is here for you. Just send us an email with your name, department and a detailed description of your concerns. For anything and everything else, please send us an email at info@pafso.com and we will get back to you as soon as we can. Please note that our office will be closed between Christmas and New Years Day. We will reopen on January 2.
It has been a very busy year, and I am very proud of our team here at PAFSO. I feel that we have accomplished a great deal, especially in the face of some big challenges. I hope everyone will have the chance to wind down, relax, rest up and reconnect with your loved ones over the holidays. I wish you all the very best.
Given how the holidays fall this year, my next message to you will arrive on January 17. Until then, take care of yourselves and each other.
All the best,
Pam Isfeld
President
@PafsoPresApase