Dear Members,
Like many of you, our attention over the past few days has been focussed on the proposed federal budget, tabled on 4 November. I’ll start off with our initial reaction and what we know so far, and then bring you up to date on some of the other things we’re working on.
Budget 2025
The Government has presented a plan that underscores Canada’s commitment to investing in key sectors vital to our nation’s future. However, we are concerned about the implications of ongoing and anticipated cuts to the broad public service, and in particular, to Canada’s foreign service writ large. Global Affairs Canada is called on to cut approximately $3.6 billion over five years, targeting areas including international development funding, global health programs, and missions abroad. Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada is facing reductions of $2.06 billion in the same timeframe, with cuts to both temporary and permanent resident admissions. This places them among the hardest hit departments.
Broader public service reductions will see approximately 16,000 full-time federal positions eliminated over the next three years, part of a longer-term plan projecting up to 40,000 fewer public servants by 2029. These cuts include reductions in executive roles and frontline positions critical to service delivery. The budget also calls for amendments to the Pensions Act to allow those who meet the criteria to retire early without penalty. For more detail, please follow the website for the Clerk of the Privy Council.
Like other public service unions, PAFSO is also concerned about proposed amendments to the Federal Public Sector Labour Relations Act. Although we were relieved to see affirmations of our fundamental rights to organize and bargain collectively, these changes may alter dispute resolution processes to support fiscal restraint and “workforce optimization.” Further details are still pending, but these developments could signal an erosion of labour frameworks in the pursuit of a smaller, more efficient public service.
A healthy and effective public service is crucial to our national interest. The Foreign Service in particular plays a critical role in safeguarding Canada’s prosperity and security, representing our country’s interests and supporting Canadians abroad. In the meantime, we urge you to share our advocacy videos [PAFSO-APASE – YouTube]. PAFSO members are essential to our nation’s success and it would be a serious mistake to further erode our capacity to engage internationally in these difficult times.
Over the coming days, we will thoroughly review the proposed budget and its details, and meet with senior management, the Employer, and our counterparts in other bargaining agents to analyze the implications of the Government’s plan for you and your work. We remain committed to advocating for the resources and support that Canada’s professional diplomats need to continue serving Canadians at home and around the world, and to keeping you informed as this unfolds.
PAFSO’s 60th Annual General Meeting
On October 20, our 60th Annual General Meeting took place. As has been our practice for the past few years, we held the meeting virtually to encourage maximum participation from those of you abroad. Our efforts paid off, and at one point, we set a record when nearly 200 of you were signed on to our session. If you were not able to join us, you can catch up by watching the recording on our YouTube channel here [PAFSO-APASE – YouTube]
We have a lot of new blood on the Executive Committee this year, and I am very pleased to welcome new members Leah Matthews, Nick McLennan, Cynthia Carlone, Valentine Ostaszewski, Shawna Parr, Idania Riley, Kirk Duguid, Chris Heffernan, and Sasha Oliveira and to thank Allison Poff for coming back for another term. They will join Ashley Durec, Marc-André Desmarais, Zachary Campbell and Trish Chang, who are entering the second of their terms.
The Randy Orr Memorial Award
After our AGM, we celebrated William Dunlop, our fourth Randy Orr Memorial Award recipient, for his work on our PAFSO Indigenous Mentorship Initiative (PIMI). In our news release
Please join me in congratulating William and offering him a huge thanks for his work to support Reconciliation and the foreign service community.
We Need More Mentors
We’re about to launch the second year of our joint mentorship program with the Canadian International Council, and the response from students and early career professionals has been overwhelming. While this is great news, it means we need more mentors. If you are a PAFSO member (regular, associate or affiliate) and are willing to share your expertise and experience with someone eager to learn about the foreign service, please consider joining us. Even if you are relatively early in your FS career, your knowledge could be immensely valuable to someone who is just starting out, so please don’t be shy! Although the deadline for mentee applications has passed you can find out more information about the overall program here and if you are willing to become a mentor, please send a message to info@pafso.com before next Friday, November 14.
CJ Scott Memorial Award
In partnership with Global Affairs Canada’s Black Employees Network (BEN), PAFSO is co-hosting a launch event to raise funds for the C.J. Scott Memorial Award in International Relations and Diplomacy.
This scholarship, endowed at Carleton University, supports Black undergraduate students pursuing studies in diplomacy and international relations. It reflects C.J.’s lifelong commitment to mentorship, excellence, and equity in Canada’s Foreign Service.
The launch event will be at 10:00-11:00AM on November 19th at 125 Sussex Drive, and online via Teams. A link will be circulated by the BEN on the GAC Intranet. If you are external/IRCC, please contact michael.lee.creighton@gmail.com for details.
AMBCANADA Event with Alex Neve November 18 at 1130
Our friends at AMCANADA have invited us to join them for an important discussion with this year’s Massey Lecturer, Alex Neve, former Secretary General of Amnesty International Canada. This session will offer a thought-provoking reflection for diplomats, advocates, and decision-makers who have worked at the intersection of values and policy on the global stage.
Alex has received standing ovations for his powerful delivery of Massey Lectures based on his book, Universal: Renewing Human Rights in a Fractured World. In his talk, he explores how the idea of universal human rights can be renewed amid today’s global tensions—from conflict and displacement to climate and digital pressures.
The luncheon will take place on November 18, 2025 at the Royal Ottawa Golf Club. The cash bar opens at 11:30, lunch will be served at 12:15, and the talk begins at 13:00 EST. Alex will be on hand to sign his book afterwards.
You can register to attend in-person here: https://ambcanada.member365.ca/public/event/details/b258db405a039526fa9fbe4e76b3195545946674/1
Or to join the livestream here:
https://us02web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_3xvPiZC3T8ymN1AQX2dGlw#/registration
PAFSO Breakfast with Eduardo del Buey on November 18 at 0900 EST
Please join me on Tuesday, November 18 at 0900 Ottawa time for a virtual PAFSO Breakfast with former PAFSO member Eduardo del Buey, to discuss his latest book, A Diplomatic Life
It promises to be a rich discussion as Eduardo shares his wide-ranging experience since joining External Affairs in 1974 and serving in Iran, Venezuela, Peru, Guatemala, Spain, and Mexico, and as Spokesperson and Director of Strategic Communications at the OAS, Spokesperson and Director of Strategic Communications at the Commonwealth Secretariat, and Deputy Spokesperson for U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon. You can find out more about him and his interests at his weekly Substack column at https://eduardodelbyet.substack.com/.
Please register for the session here:
https://us02web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_SFK1m75xTDCJhUyzWk-_Yw
As always, should you have any concerns at work, do not hesitate to reach out to us. That’s what we’re here for. 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. You can click here to learn more about all the member services PAFSO has to offer. 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.
Until next time, take care of yourselves and each other.
All the best,
Pam Isfeld
President