Candidate for NCR Regional Director – Matthew MacLeod

The views expressed in this biography are those of the candidate and do not necessarily represent the views or opinions of PIPSC.

I believe I have the right mix of interpersonal, labour relations, financial, and scientific skills to serve you well as a member of the PIPSC Board of Directors.

Over the past six years as President of the RE (Research) Group, I had the pleasure of coaching the executive through a time where we have set aside the last remnants of conflict between the components of the Group, and have worked together and with other Groups to achieve major common goals such as enshrining Scientific Integrity and the right to speak in our collective agreements.

As a steward, I have helped members achieve results individually through the regular and National Joint Council grievance processes, and collectively through consultation with senior management both locally and nationally. I am particularly proud of my role in drafting the model Scientific Integrity Policy, which was the product of delicate tri-party talks between PIPSC, Treasury Board, and the Office of the Chief Science Advisor, where success was far from guaranteed.

As a Group Executive and President, I have consistently exercised responsible financial oversight of how your dues are spent. In my work for the government, I have served as a project manager responsible for a multi-year, multi-million dollar project pulling together contributions from researchers, engineers and computer systems specialists across the country. 

While serving on the board does not inherently involve science or research, I believe that having directors who can strongly communicate the importance of federally and provincially conducted science and research is crucial to the long term success of our organization and its members. Government research organizations employ more than just scientists and researchers – they require computer systems specialists to build and maintain high performance computers and networks, engineers to design and manage innovative projects, and commerce and purchasing specialists to plan and administer complex collaboration agreements. If governments let research be conducted primarily by academia and industry without keeping a strong in-house capability, many high quality PIPSC jobs will disappear. This is not to mention the loss to Canadians of high quality in-house expertise to address some of our most pressing concerns, from pandemics to climate change to national security threats.

Finally, as an elder millennial, I believe I am well-positioned to help lead PIPSC through a time of generational change, with an understanding of how to communicate to members of all ages. I look forward to serving you all.

Original submitted by the candidate