Dear members,
Greetings everyone. I have a short message this week as there haven’t been many concrete developments on our major files. However, I wanted to keep you up to date on other issues before the long weekend here in Canada.
Update on Work Force Adjustment (WFA)
There have been no significant changes to the WFA posture at GAC since my last message. Now that the FS03s are no longer “affected,” the process is proceeding as expected for those who have accepted voluntary departure. We know that some of you still have questions about the way seniority was calculated to determine who would be eligible for the VDP, and we recommend you contact CorporateCompensation-RemunerationMinisterielle@international.gc.ca for details on how your application was assessed
The situation for the 17 FS-04s who did not choose the VDP remains complex, and we understand how much anxiety this is creating. GAC has committed to issuing formal opting letters to this and other groups before fall 2027, which will open up a number of courses of action for those members. In the meantime, we are committed to sharing information as soon as we receive it, and to consulting affected members on next steps at each relevant decision point. Our Executive Vice President Allison Poff will serve as the Executive Committee’s point of contact on issues of policy and strategy. She can be reached through our office at info@pafso.com (Members with specific questions regarding their individual situations should continue to contact our Executive Director Dan Whalen for advice.)
Communications on behalf of colleagues: confidentiality and transparency
From time to time, we hear from members who are worried about a colleague and would like to share their concerns with me, another member of ExCom, and/or our staff. Although we understand that such requests come with the best of intentions, please be aware that we are unable to discuss the situation of one member with another, nor can we discuss the content of individual communications with anyone other than the addressee. (The only exceptions to these restrictions are emergency situations involving documented next-of-kin, or where one member has been given power of attorney by another.)
Similarly, we are sometimes contacted by members on behalf of a group of colleagues. In those circumstances, we ask that you copy the other members of the group on any messages to us, so that we can ensure everyone receives the same information.
PAFSO Breakfast on Collective Bargaining
On May 12, Paul Raven, our Chief Negotiator and Chair of our Collective Bargaining Committee, led a very successful breakfast webinar on the next steps in the negotiation of our collective agreement. Paul outlined the timelines for the process, which began with notice to bargain in March, and will move to the exchange of proposals with the Employer side in mid-June. We hope to begin actual negotiations in early fall and be in a position to discuss the salary provisions of the agreement during the winter.
We also took the opportunity to introduce the members of the Collective Bargaining Committee and encourage you to reach out to them if you have any comments or questions on the negotiations before our next update. In addition to Paul (Chair) and me (Vice Chair), they are: Gabriel Bastien, Mathieu Bibeau-Leblanc, Christopher Heffernan, Nick Maclennan, Leah Matthews, Shauna Parr, Allison Poff, and Dan Whalen.
Given the confidential nature of the discussions, we have not posted any recording of the session.
Call for Research Participants on Populism and Diplomacy
Earlier this week I had a very interesting conversation with Prof. Jason Dittmer, Professor of Political Geography at University College London, who is hoping to interview retired or active members of PAFSO about their experience of the intersection of populism and diplomacy since 2016. He is not interested in any privileged information but is instead concerned with diplomatic behaviour and its evolution. Completed interviews will be protected by UK data protection law and all interviewees will be pseudonymised in published outputs. If you are willing to be interviewed, please contact our office at info@pafso.com so we can put you in touch with him.
Canadian International Council (CIC) Mentorship Event – May 21
This event is designed to connect emerging professionals with experienced practitioners in cybersecurity. It brings together industry leaders who will share real-world insights, career journeys, and practical advice to help interested participants to navigate and grow in these dynamic fields.
It will include interactive roundtable discussions, career insights, practical advice and networking opportunities with a chance to rotate amongst panel members and ask questions while gaining from their perspectives.
This event is free of charge and held Thursday, May 21 at 5:30 pm at 7 Bayview Station Road in Ottawa. You can get more information about the speakers and reserve a spot on Eventbrite.
Webinar on FSDs and Your First Posting June 10 at noon Ottawa time
Please join me and Paul Raven on Wednesday, June 10, at noon EDT for a webinar on the Foreign Service Directives, focussing on what you need to know for your first posting. Although the session will be targeted towards early career officers and their families, it will also be a valuable refresher for those who have been out before.
You can register for the webinar here:
As always, should you have any other 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, please take care of yourselves and each other.
Pamela Isfeld
President of PAFSO