Dear Members,
Well, we’ve known this was coming for a while. Health officials in Canada and elsewhere around the world have declared the latest surge in Omicron BA.2 cases a sixth wave. With this in mind, PAFSO continues to work in conjunction with the other bargaining agents of the core public administration to make sure that the Employer’s plans for a return to the workplace are based on the latest scientific evidence and as safe as possible. The safety of our members, and their families, is our top priority in this matter.
As we find ourselves in the third year – and sixth surge – of this pandemic, the stresses never seem to abate. From pandemic burnout to concerns about re-occupancy of federal worksites, everybody seems to deal with them differently. That’s why it’s more important than ever for empathy to be at the center of our interactions with others. As GAC Co-Champion for Psychological Well-Being, I am pleased to announce a joint virtual learning event by the Centre of Expertise on Mental Health in the Workplace and the Canada School of Public Service that will be taking place on Thursday, 5 May, from 1330 to 1500, Ottawa time. #GetReal for Mental Health Week: Preventing and Managing Burnout at Work will feature a panel discussion on how we, as public servants, can identify, assess, and most importantly, reduce the risk of. Through this engaging discussion, you will learn how to co-develop empathy-based solutions to support wellbeing in the workplace and address the issues that can lead to burnout. Registration is now open, use this link to reserve your spot.
I am also working on a PAFSO-sponsored event on mindfulness and empathy as tools for organizational culture change, which I hope will be particularly interesting and relevant for those who find that their stresses spring from their circumstances as much as from their approaches. Please watch this space for more details over the coming weeks.
As I mentioned in my previous message, I recently had the honour of appearing before the Senate Standing Committee on Foreign Affairs and International Trade for their study on the Canadian Foreign Service and elements of the foreign policy machinery within GAC. This is the first such study of the Foreign Service since the McDougall Commission in 1981 and it offers us an important forum to highlight not only the challenges we face but the value we offer to Canadians. I was proud to have shared the floor with the likes of Michael Small, President of AmbCanada, Pierre Guimond, Senior Fellow, Graduate School of International Studies, Laval University, and Margaret Biggs, Fellow in Global Public Policy, Queen’s University. You can watch the proceedings on the ParlVU site using this link.
Last week, you should have received an invitation to take our Collective Bargaining Questionnaire. As they begin to compile the proposals they will bring to the bargaining table later this year, the Collective Bargaining Committee wants to hear from you. What do you want to see in our next collective agreement? Over 500 of you have already chimed in. If you haven’t yet, there’s still time. The questionnaire will be up until close of business, Ottawa Time, on Friday April 15. To ensure we reach best deal possible we need your input, so if you haven’t already done so please take a moment to fill out this short questionnaire.
I am pleased to announce that a firm has been selected to review our communications and advocacy programs. As I mentioned previously, we had sought some outside help to improve our practices and to identify where best to put our limited resources. Last week, the Communications Committee selected the firm of Navigator to assist us in this endeavour. Our kick-off meeting takes place today, and I will be sure to report back to you on key developments as they arise.
Earlier this week, the virtual PAFSO Breakfast covered a wide a range of PAFSO business including the results of the 2021 Triennial Survey, preparations for collective bargaining, the next steps of our strategic plan and our vision for advocacy. Since some of the discussion touched on our possible approaches to bargaining and other strategic issues, we will not be posting the recording on our YouTube channel, but if you would like to view it, please send me an e-mail and I will give you access. You can also view the short deck I used for the presentation here. Our next breakfast is planned for 10 May, and I will share details soon.
On a completely different note, I am pleased to announce that the AmbCanada/PAFSO project to establish a coat of arms for Canada’s Foreign Service has now entered its next phase, as Governor General Mary Simon has authorized the Canadian Heraldic Authority to begin work on the design. This coat of arms, which is in keeping with the proud traditions set by other organizations including National Defence, the RCMP and CSIS, will serve as a unique identifier for members of AmbCanada and PAFSO. For more information on this project, including how you can contribute to the design itself, please see the briefing note prepared by AmbCanada here. Please note that AmbCanada is requesting our input by 9 May 2022.
As always, if there are any issues or concerns about your circumstance at work, do not hesitate to contact Executive Director Kim Coles. Send her an email with your name, department and a short message describing your situation and she will put you in touch with our labour relations team. For everything else, send an email to info@pafso.com and someone will get back to you as soon as possible.
With case numbers at an all-time high nearly everywhere around the world, it is more important than ever to keep up with the precautions that have kept us healthy so far: limiting our contacts, masking indoors, distancing when possible, and keeping up with our vaccinations. As important as it is to keep safe, we also have to maximize the ways in which we can find calm and happiness. Hopefully, this Easter weekend will allow most of you to take a well-deserved break and spend some quality time with friends and family.
We’ll chat again in a few weeks. Until then, take care of yourselves, and each other.
All the best,
Pam Isfeld
President