Dear members,
I’m writing to you from the road this week. Wherever in the world you’re reading this, I hope September has been treating you well. There’s a good deal to get through, so let’s get started.
The Court’s ruling on our efforts to compel health care that works
Many of you will recall that on July 1, 2023, the plan administrator for the Public Service Health Care Plan (PSHCP) changed from Sun Life Financial to Canada Life/MSH for public servants abroad. The transition has been problematic, and PAFSO has launched formal processes to force the employer to address that, including seeking a Federal Court order of mandamus to force government action.
Late last week the ruling of the Court came down. The Court declined to issue a mandamus order due to a lack of acceptable first-hand evidence to support it. That said, the Court did make several findings in PAFSO’s favour that will help our efforts to pursue our ongoing policy grievance and human rights complaint. More particularly:
- The Court established that the employer has a positive duty to deliver the plan it established, and that this duty is mandatory;
- The Court agreed that the employer’s delay in delivering on the plan was not justified.
In the coming days we will be meeting with our legal team to discuss how best to leverage this as part of our ongoing legal strategy in support of our members affected by this important issue.
Collective bargaining
Our first three days at the table are October 6, 7 and 8. Our Collective Bargaining Committee met again this month to continue preparing, and we’ll bring you what we’re able to share as the round gets under way. If you have questions in the meantime about what the expiry of our agreement means for you, Collective Bargaining: What Members Can Expect is the place to start.
Public Services Fight Back, and meeting members in Spain
This week I have been participating in the Public Services Fight Back conference in Spain, hosted by Public Services International, the global federation of public service workers.
The two-day event brought together public service union leaders, academics and other civil society representatives from around the world to discuss strategy and collective action in light of threats to public services and public service workers worldwide. Canadian perspectives were featured in presentations by Sharon DeSousa, National President of the Public Service Alliance of Canada, and Candace Rennick, National Secretary-Treasurer of the Canadian Union of Public Employees.
I was very pleased to attend on behalf of PAFSO and to take part in the highly relevant discussions, which focused on how unions can:
- strengthen organizing;
- build power across borders; and
- defend democracy.
Throughout the sessions I have been struck by the commonality of the issues we face, which range from privatization to artificial intelligence to the devaluation of public service by extremist political actors. The discussions provided excellent food for thought, and there will no doubt be more to follow soon.
I also took the opportunity this week to meet with members at our missions in Madrid and Barcelona, to discuss their experiences and working conditions and to seek their feedback on current issues including collective bargaining and the ongoing implementation of the FSDs. It was an excellent opportunity for an update on FS life abroad in 2026, and I want to thank member Devon Zhang for his help in facilitating our meetings.
PAFSO/CIC mentorship program: mentee applications are open (deadline September 25)
As I mentioned in my last message, we started with a call for volunteer mentors, and I’m very happy to say we’re now ready for applications from mentees.
Run by the Canadian International Council’s (CIC) National Capital Branch with PAFSO and Marvin Hough International Research and Analysis Ltd (MIRA), the program pairs students and young professionals with experienced mentors in international affairs, trade and international business, and runs from September 2026 to June 2027.
As a mentee, you would:
- be matched with a mentor whose experience fits your areas of interest, for guidance and career advice;
- meet weekly or biweekly, or as the two of you agree; and
- be invited to events with mentors, fellow mentees and others in Canada’s international affairs community.
I’ve been a mentor myself for the past two cycles, and I’ve seen what a good match can do for someone starting out. If you have experience to offer as well, you can take part as both a mentor and a mentee in the same cycle!
Participation is straightforward. To apply you need to be an active member of either the CIC or PAFSO; if you aren’t a CIC member yet, you can join the CIC here. Fill in the mentorship program application form by Friday, September 25. Places are limited, so the more you can tell us about your interests, experience and career goals, the better the program co-leads can match you.
Diplomatic Notes arrives October 1
Diplomatic Notes, our anthology of articles from bout de papier marking PAFSO’s sixtieth anniversary, launches on October 1. The electronic version will be free and will go up at pafso.com/ebook shortly after the launch. For those of you who would rather hold the book in your hands, I’ll have ordering details for you in a future message this fall, so stay tuned!
Annual General Meeting
Our 61st AGM is on Monday, October 19, at 1600, Ottawa time, and will be held virtually. To register, email agm-aga@pafso-apase.com with your name and department. Registered participants will receive the formal invitation, the agenda and all related documents on October 2, so it’s worth registering now even if you aren’t yet certain you can attend. The Randy Orr Memorial Award will be presented at a virtual ceremony immediately following the meeting.
Remembering Annemarie Desloges
On a sad note, Monday marks thirteen years since we lost Annemarie Desloges, killed on September 21, 2013, in the attack on the Westgate mall in Nairobi, where she was serving at our High Commission. She was a friend, a colleague, one of ours. Her death remains a hard reminder of the risks our members take in serving Canada abroad. My thoughts on Monday will be with her family and with all those who knew her.
National Day for Truth and Reconciliation
Wednesday, September 30, is the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation. The day asks all of us to remember the children Canada sent to residential schools, the children who did not come home, as well as the survivors, families and communities who carry that history. I also want to take the opportunity to remind you about the Deborah Chatsis Indigenous Scholarship in International Affairs, which PAFSO established a few years ago with our friends at AMBCANADA to help ensure that Indigenous peoples are properly represented in Canada’s Foreign Service. You can learn more about the scholarship, or make a contribution, here on the Carleton University website.
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.
My next message to you will arrive on October 2. Until then, please take care of yourselves and each other.
Pamela Isfeld
President of PAFSO