Management Consultation Committee
PSPC with PSAC (GSU & UNE), PIPSC, CAPE and ACFO
April 12, 2023
Participants
Bargaining Agents
Public Service Alliance of Canada (PSAC)
Government Services Union (GSU)
Bruce Roy, National President
Kelly Bush, National Vice-President - Equity and Chair Indigenous Circle of Employees
Martine Babcook, National Vice-President
David Girard, Senior Union Representative
Union of National Employees (UNE)
Alain Njima Ekombo, Labour Relations Officer
Professional Institute of the Public Service of Canada (PIPSC)
Charles Nellis, Local Steward
Shirley Tso, Local Steward
Association of Canadian Financial Officers (ACFO)
Dany Richard, President (co-chair of the meeting)
Sandi Hernandez, Labour Relations Officer
Diere Sonko, Labour Relations Officer
Canadian Association of Professional Employees (CAPE)
Alex Butler, President, Local 521
Joanna Pay
Management Participants
Associate Deputy Ministers
Arianne Reza (co-chair of the meeting)
Scott Jones
Assistant Deputy Ministers
Wojo Zielonka, CFO, Finance
Kiran Hanspal, Human Resources
Catherine Poulin, Departmental Oversight
Dominic Laporte, Translation Bureau
Jean François Lymburner, Real Property Services
Paula Wilson, Senior General Counsel and Executive Director
Lorenzo Ieraci, Policy, Planning and Communications
Rob Wright, Science and Parliamentary Infrastructure
Marc Belisle, Chief Audit Executive
Simon Page, Defence and Marine Procurement
Kim Steele, Digital Services
Associate Assistant Deputy Ministers
Duncan Retson, Science and Parliamentary Infrastructure
Paula Folkes-Dallaire, Defence and Marine Procurement
Regional Directors General
Yvette Monique Gray, Pacific
Directors General
André-Guy Chéchippe, Real Property Services
Jeff Willbond, Human Resources
Chantalle Boudreau, Pay & Administration
Lucie Levesque, Procurement
Marc Saint Pierre, Receiver General and Pension
Labour Relations
Deborah Arranz, Director
Céline Bertrand, Manager
Kathy Lavoie, Manager
Anaelle Conan, Exclusions and Essential Services Officer
Valérie Pelletier, Exclusions and Essential Services Coordinator
Others
Brandon Chavarie, Science and Parliamentary Infrastructure
1. Opening Remarks
Arianne Reza opened the consultation by welcoming everyone to the meeting. She mentioned
recent changes in senior management. Dany Richard also welcomed participants and thanked
Arianne Reza for replacing the Deputy Minister. He mentioned that unions and the employer
work together well and acknowledged that even if unions have the right to strike, discussions
should remain respectful.
2. Presentations and Discussions
2.1 Adoption of Electronic Procurement Solution (EPS), Procurement Branch (PB)
PB management provided an overview of the enhancements based on the feedback from EPS
users. They are adapting supply methods. This involves financial integration and was initiated
based on user community feedback. Further changes in Sigma Solutions will occur in June. The
information was fed to EPS over several months, including a migration of contract history. The
focus is on change management to establish training, tools and a communication channels, and
to identify barriers.
Unions enquired about the adoption of reporting for diversity data and EPMA metrics.
Management indicated that outreach was done, and questions were added so suppliers can
identify if they belong to underrepresented groups.
2.2 2023-2025 PSPC Accessibility Plan, Policy, Planning and Communication Branch
(PPCB)
Using the feedback and input from the department and through engagement of employees
across branches and regions, management was able to include 8 priorities, according to the
Accessibility Act. Among the priorities is increasing manager awareness of their responsibilities
when addressing accessibility issues. They want a strong relationship with unions in order to
provide the best support to employees.
CAPE raised the issue of employees with learning disabilities who take training and wondered if
measures had been taken for them, such as amending second language training standing
offers, having specific contracts for employees with learning disabilities, or providing training
from professionals that are familiar with the various specific learning needs of disabled
employees.
Management indicated that there are multiple training providers – private and public – and that
there is no ‘’One size fits all’’. There is a need for looking into refining requirements so that
accessibility is implied. The idea is to adapt and adjust continuously.
Consultation was conducted for all employees and specific target groups, there was a place on
the website where the public could give feedback, and employees provided feedback on-site,
based on their personal experiences.
Return To the Office (RTO) implementation in the physical workplace: It can be challenging, and
as mentioned before, management adapts and adjusts. For example: Lights were turned off on
a whole floor for employees who are sensitive to light. Big or small changes can make the RTO
experience better. ‘’No’’ cannot be a starting point anymore.
Unions asked if progress was made on closing the gaps in hiring of equity group members.
Management indicated that the biggest challenge is the employee staying a longer period of
time in the same position with little career movement. There is a need to make people aware
and start the conversation more collectively on onboarding, recruitment, retention, career
development and support to managers. All DGs looked at how meaningful changes can be
made and measures taken to look at processes and identify and address barriers
systematically.
2.3 Implementing a common hybrid work model approach, Real Property Services and
Human Resources Branch (RPS and HRB)
Management highlighted the great communication throughout the implementation of the hybrid
work model and congratulated colleagues, bargaining agents, branches and regions. 56
locations were opened with over 4000 work points. The workplace coordinators are onboard for
health and safety and always available to help users.
Management is working with other government departments, wanting to apply a clear and
simple approach to exceptions and Duty to Accommodate (DTA) requests. Management wants
the discussion on accessibility to be a natural reflex, through the Accessibility Passport. Regions
are tracking very well in their 15 main locations and the transition was smooth. Despite the (bad)
weather even last week in NCR, up to 36% of employees were in the office, while the average
was 21% before. Stats keep moving up. There was no decrease in the bandwidth when 4000
employees in total were in the office one day. The average for occupancy of the
neighbourhoods is 50% to 80% over the week. Management will keep being flexible and
adaptive.
Unions raised that some members are not satisfied working in the office, being in the office to
have virtual meetings, and encountering various ergonomic issues, as examples. Management
indicated that most open spaces have been modernized and that they are working on improving
the experience.
The bargaining agents enquired about monitoring through VPN and IP addresses. Digital
Services Branch indicated that they focus on two data sets: connections through VPN or
departmental networks, and active directory. They confirmed that reporting is not at the
individual level but rather at aggregate levels. They will make sure that privacy implications are
respected however, managers need to know where their people are working through open
communication.
Unions asked if there are data on departmental wide exceptions to the prescribed presence in
the workplace. Management indicated that the data will be available later.
Unions also asked management to send a reminder to employees who go to the office when
they are sick just to obey the TBS policy. Management indicated the existence of an FAQ that
will be shared again as it is a health and safety issue. If somebody is sick, they should not go to
the office. They are not expected to come in on another day to make it up if they are on leave or
still not feeling well.
Unions underlined that TBS, as a department, went back to the office in September. People are
quick to judge when things don’t work at the office.
3. Round Table
DMA Reza mentioned that there will always be awareness and sharing of information in case of
flooding, power shortage etc. like what recently happened in the NCR.
CAPE noted that there were more presentations pre-pandemic. It was suggested to launch a
call-out if people need an update on previous meeting items (For example: Next generation
travel system).
Follow up items
Stats on exception requests
FAQ on not going into office when sick to be shared again
4. Feedback on Hybrid Format of the NLMCC
It was suggested to book boardrooms to bring more people together, however, the concern is
that technology might not be sufficient to support the interpreters (sound quality).
5. Closing Remarks
Senior management thanked all for taking part in the meeting. Unions thanked all for their
participation as well.
6. Meeting Minutes Approval
*Early 2023, it was agreed by unions and management that as of this meeting the minutes will
only be signed by the two co-chairs
_______________________________
Arianne Reza
Associate Deputy Minister
Public Services and Procurement Canada
_______________________________
Dany Richard
President
Association of Canadian Financial Officers
Published on 17 August 2023