HRDC Meeting Minutes - November 3, 2023

Present:

Regret:

Jennie Esnard - NUREG - Chair

Stacy McLaren - Board Liaison

Madeeha Choudhry - IT - Member

Farzana Merani - AFS - Member

Imam Din Kamaldon - AFS - Member

Jacquie Dixon - AFS - Friend of the Committee

Malcolm Lewis-Richmond - PIPSC Staff Resource

Binana Madikama - SR - Member Mary Lycett - AFS - Member

Mitesh Popat - ENG - Member

Guests:

Andria Desjardins - Political Action and Engagement Officer

The committee Chair, Jennie, offers words of welcome and invites members to share if they’d like to add something to the agenda. No additions are suggested. Agenda is adopted as is. Motion carried. 

Minutes for the September 29, 2023, HRDC meeting are adopted as is. 

Andria Desjardins is introduced to the committee members as the staff support person in Malcolm’s absence. An overview of the expectations and roles assigned to HRDC members for the upcoming PIPSC convention is provided.

3.1 Selecting presenters for each panel and to represent respective caucuses

The HRDC is asked to designate who will represent the various equity caucuses at certain panels for the upcoming AGM. The choices are as follows:

• The Committee emphasizes that a panel dedicated to Indigenous issues needs to be added as Indigenous voices must be brought forward and adequately represented. Mitesh is to support the panellists for this event, with Sean Stiff and Tania King’s names put forward.

The caucus representatives are to have a brief and informal session with their respective panellists at least a week before the AGM to introduce themselves and determine what issues will be discussed during the panels. The audience is welcome to participate and lead the topics addressed during the discussion period. It is suggested that the panels be live-streamed for those who could not attend in person or perhaps recorded and posted on the website afterwards.

3.2 Preparing three (3) questions for each panel

As it still remains unclear who many of the panellists will be and who will be facilitating the panels, the questions will not be produced during today’s meeting. However, caucus representatives can be selected so that they can meet with the presenters as soon as possible and draft questions with the key themes of each caucus in mind.  

3.3 Determining HRDC supper details for November 25, 2023

The Keg is recommended to the committee due to its proximity to the AGM venue and the menu’s ability to suit the various food allergies and dietary restrictions. However, committee members elect to have supper at Le Boucan, as it is better suited to welcome larger groups. 

4.1 Sharing of best practices

This section of the meeting is dedicated to discussing the best practices that are to be shared with the new and continuing committee members and caucus chairs in 2024. To determine the best practices, caucus chairs are to speak about their experiences, the biggest takeaways, and the lessons learned over the past year.

4.1.1 Workers of Colour Caucus

Despite having around 70 individuals signed up, most caucus meetings only have 10-15 people present. This is due to members feeling like the caucus currently operates more as a space to vent rather than to enact change, which is causing frustration. The main concern for 2024 is the loss of momentum from the active members if their important ideas and contributions get lost due to yearly rotation. The importance of extending committee members’ mandate term is to be emphasized during the AGM. 

By extending the length of mandates, the HRDC and the Workers of Colour Caucus will be able to reform critical processes such as discrimination complaints. Ideally, the HRDC would handle these directly instead of stewards, especially if all equity-seeking groups remain under-represented in the steward body. PIPSC should aim to fix its internal challenges first and foremost by taking advantage of what the HRDC has to offer, and by establishing nationwide networks for equity groups. 

4.1.2 Women’s Caucus

The biggest challenge over the past year has been attendance and engagement due to frequent last-minute cancellations. Sporadic attendance makes meaningful progress difficult since building trust takes time. To address this challenge, it is recommended that the HRDC and the women’s caucus take advantage of the momentum created by larger PIPSC events to keep engagement high. 

Another challenge is the use of resources for meaningful effect. More specifically, since it is difficult to make people change deep-rooted beliefs, there remains the question of whether the focus should be on training equity groups or the groups enforcing (consciously or not) discriminatory practices. Despite the advantages of working from home, such as reduced opportunities for in-office gossip, harassment, and discrimination, it also makes it difficult to engage people widely in progressive conversation. 

To render the caucus’ initiatives more tangible and visible, perhaps regions could have respective co-chairs that lead local projects and report to the chair. Having a cohesive network to address human rights and diversity issues across regions would be helpful also in promoting events. By pushing for more regional representation, the committee could have a better reach and ability to address issues that touch all regions and not just the NCR.

4.1.3 Black Caucus

Despite PIPSC workplaces meeting diversity quotas, only a small number of workers of colour are Black. Although the Black Caucus and the Black class-action lawsuit were created to deal with the particular challenges of this equity group, the number of Black workers engaged in these projects remains small. This reticence could be a result of the low diversity found in stewards, and the lack of awareness on how to contact the HRDC for support. Since the HRDC cannot solicit itself directly to members, it must take the opportunity to mention its function and services at various PIPSC events.

The HRDC also wants to move on from gathering lived experiences of discrimination and instead offer tools and take action when necessary. One of the biggest challenges is representation in higher-level positions. Populations most vulnerable to these barriers are call center workers who, despite having high levels of education, cannot go up the promotional ladder. Although diversity quotas are reached, it is problematic when most BIPOCs occupy lower roles. Unfortunately, BIPOC who are not fluent in one of the official languages are put at a disadvantage. This issue is particularly concerning for Indigenous individuals who are forced to learn a second colonial language. The suggested counteraction is as follows:

• Individuals (especially women and BIPOC) should ensure that their request for a promotion and the results are included in their performance report(s). 
• If there is push-back on this information being included in the performance report, the employee should refuse to sign the document. 
• At the end of the year, unsigned performance reports are reviewed and looked into, which could help the employee advocate for their cause.  

Moreover, it has been difficult to access data on diversity and positions, either because access to it is denied, or because the delays in analysis make the information already outdated upon release. This problem is even more severe when equity groups are lumped together with no consideration of the respective groups’ challenges. One way the problem of representation at higher levels has been addressed in by creating a pool of Black candidates, putting them through interviews and giving them roles accordingly rather than following traditional human resources processes.

To show members of the Black Caucus that action is truly being taken, it is imperative to have Black representatives reach out to more members and build trust. To do so, committee mandate terms should be extended, with representatives visiting various regions rather than operating exclusively in the NCR, and establishing continued reports. The HRDC would like to invite someone to show the current data, and then present it to the board.

4.1.4  2SLGBTQ+ caucus

Due to logistics and timing issues this year, the caucus met once to discuss best practices. Stacy would like to emulate a Solidarity and Pride group chat witnessed at the Canadian Labour Congress (CLC). This group chat let activists rapidly know when and where protests and anti-protests were happening, as people could call them in. Using software like Signal or WhatsApp could be an effective way for the caucus to communicate rapidly with members, with the latter able to contact the caucus chair easily should they require assistance.  

The caucus would like to organize year-long pride celebrations corresponding to other monthly themes, for example, anti-bullying in April. Stacy moves the motion, with Jennie seconding. With longer mandate periods, the HRDC could fulfill this more efficiently, as events in the early year tend to be difficult to implement due to new committee member selection and handover processes. In the future, the goal would be to organize events throughout all the regions, with a member of the HRDC and the caucus able to attend either virtually or in person.

At the PIPSC 101 event early next year, Stacy, as the board liaison would like to see an overview of the budget allocated for the committees of the board. Currently, despite having nationwide responsibilities, the HRDC has a very small presence across Canada with most meetings occurring in the NCR. The HRDC would also like to better distribute budgets for the equity caucuses and are willing to work with the finance team accordingly. 

With the upcoming AGM, it is difficult to organize other meetings with the committee and the caucuses, but it is important to take the time to thank the caucus members for their support and to promote future activities to incentivize continued membership. 

4.1.5 Indigenous Caucus

In the absence of Mitesh, Andria provides an overview of the main points communicated by the Indigenous Caucus. Recruiting members for the caucus or communicating activities to Indigenous members was facilitated by the creation of a mailing list including all self-identified individuals. Although the first caucus meeting had a lower attendance rate than expected, the members present were very invested. Having three (3) co-chairs reporting to Mitesh also made the caucus workload more manageable. Nevertheless, since the challenge is getting more of our Indigenous members involved, more regional events should be encouraged with clear overviews of what the Institute is doing for these communities. Although PIPSC donates to indigenous initiatives, it remains unclear what other type of support we are offering. 

Moreover, the caucus should focus on crafting a cohesive front to avoid creating events haphazardly. Overall, PIPSC has yet to reach the quality of programs dedicated to indigenous issues compared to other unions. This was made evident at the CLC lobby day, although the opportunity to get members of Indigenous communities involved and in contact with government officials should not be dismissed. PIPSC should prioritize indigenous members when determining who is to attend these events. 

The committee is proud of PIPSC’s involvement in previous Indigenous Live events, namely sponsoring the event for 5 years and providing orange sweaters on Parliament Hill for Orange Shirt Day. * In 2024, the committee would like to encourage more of these events and support the Indigenous Caucus, while centering mental health and intersectionality.

*In the future, weather conditions should be considered when providing wearable swag.  

Unfortunately, plans for Indigenous Live 2024 are currently postponed following the backing out of the event’s main sponsor. PIPSC must be concretely involved in reporting these changes to members and help ensure activities centring on Indigenous cultures and communities are not quietly dismissed. Din emphasizes that such omissions send a message that the well-being of our Indigenous members is not a priority. PIPSC needs to show strong political action and invite senior bureaucrats to the HRDC or Indigenous Caucus meetings to discuss these issues. 

PIPSC also needs to show up for indigenous communities in meaningful ways and not be tokenistic. The distribution of water bottles with PIPSC logos on them at a previous Indigenous live event instead of using funds to provide sustainable water sources was extremely disappointing and negatively impacted Indigenous communities’ perception of the Institute. Although commissioning a report to determine the role PIPSC had in supporting residential schools is a step in the right direction, the Institute is far from atonement.

In the future, the following considerations should always be kept in mind when organizing events meant to support our Indigenous members and communities at large:

• Organize indigenous healing circles, and smudges, and invite elders to promote spirituality and engagement.
• Increase the number of Indigenous stewards to promote empowerment, and show Indigenous members that they are an important part of our councils and that they do have Indigenous stewards to contact if needed. 
• When giving land acknowledgements or performing rituals, it should be clear why they have been incorporated. Their inclusion should not be performative and instead provide more information on how people can get involved. 
• Rituals are sacred and should be treated as such. It is therefore critical that they be accompanied by concrete actions to address and improve Indigenous issues. By highlighting region-specific concerns, it becomes easier to clearly communicate the next steps to be taken. 
• Always be mindful that a history of inaction following a discussion can contribute to a general sense of skepticism towards these activities, hence the importance of doing things right.
• Bring issues such as access to clean drinking water and missing indigenous women to the forefront.

Lastly, an Indigenous graphic designer (Pass the Feather) has been commissioned to indigenize the PIPSC logo, to be used for indigenous-related activities. This, along with other initiatives to support Indigenous groups will be included in a first draft available sometime in December.

4.2 The next steps:

By improving conditions within PIPSC, we can show a united front and lead by example. By empowering our members this way, we aid them in advocating for the HRDC’s values at their workplaces.

To make further progress, bylaws and constitutions should be amended as needed to meet diversity requirements so that they do not act as barriers to meaningful change. The HRDC has five (5) resolutions on the table for the upcoming AGM. The HRDC should aim to be more visible at the various events and venues to show that diversity is a priority.

1. Increasing visibility and online presence

The HRDC would like to increase their visibility and online presence for various reasons:

1. To keep the momentum going and make sure engaged members stay interested;
2. To make their services more accessible for people of equity groups who might be more difficult to reach, and let them know how they can get involved;
3. To advocate for the importance of the committee by showcasing its successes.

To do so, the HRDC could ask for a “caucus corner” to be added to the quarterly PIPSC newsletter, and increase its presence on the PIPSC news webpage. Ideally, there would be a way to promote caucus activities to members of different caucuses and members at large to favour an intersectional approach. Moreover, it is currently difficult to identify the HRDC webpage without searching explicitly for it.

The upcoming AGM will be a fantastic opportunity for HRDC members to promote their work, the committee, and its caucuses. Committee members should make sure to bring their HRDC business cards and give them out during the convention. This will help interested members contact the committee through email, allowing for the creation of a larger network. 

2. Revamping steward framework to include (more) EDI training

If the HRDC cannot be immediately accessible to members across the country, stewards could be the best facilitators. PIPSC should continue to push for more diversity in its steward body (and in all roles) for BIPOC members to feel represented. To ensure that discrimination issues are taken seriously and swiftly, the EDI training in the steward framework should be increased. Training should also include more resources on mental health both for members and for stewards to make sure they are well-equipped to deal with the emotional efforts their role requires. The HRDC is to liaise with Judith Leblanc on the matter.

3. Increasing participation without wasting resources

The participation drop-off rate for equity and diversity events is particularly concerning. Incentives to have more people attend, such as offering meals, have not been particularly effective, with many people leaving once the meal is provided. The reluctance to engage in the discussion topics is likely a reflection of the Institute’s past culture of inviting conversation without concrete actions taken afterwards. The solution should not be to stop investing in catered events entirely, but perhaps to require earlier registration to prepare accordingly. Moreover, it is worth noting that the abuse of catering has been a problem at all levels of the Institute and is not limited to member events..

Farzana emphasizes the importance of making activities intersectional. To do so, webinars and workshops combining equity groups and identities should be encouraged. To successfully do so, the HRDC’s budget for caucuses should be broken down, with intersecting groups supporting such initiatives.

6.1 Consultation information

Workshops related to the Black class-action lawsuit will be offered on November 14 and 15. To promote these activities, the workshops will be promoted with stewards, constituent bodies’ executives, and Black members directly, as well as an all-member email. HRDC members are also invited to share with Black members of their regions prior. Stacy McLaren asks that a translated version of the all-member email also be sent out. 

6.2 Strategies for Recruitment

HRDC members are consulted for ways to recruit participants for these sessions and maximize attendance. It is suggested to work with equity groups in the different regions and obtain funding for other similar events on a local scale. 

Although PIPSC contributed financial and legal resources to the Black class-action lawsuit, it is crucial to improve information-sharing networks to further build the case. It is recommended to consult PSAC’s efforts, as they are significantly ahead in terms of recruiting and mobilizing their Black members. 

One of the current obstacles in recruiting and mobilizing Black members at PIPSC is the accumulated years of a workplace culture where its members of colour are reluctant to share their stories due to fear of punishment or further discrimination, even after retiring. Moreover, the traumatic nature of their lived experiences makes sharing and engaging in reform projects difficult, which could explain why the proportion of PIPSC members of colour who sign up remains low.

Unfortunately, it seems no HRDC member has received an invitation to participate in the 2023 CLC lobby day. This is likely due to the fact that the CLC lobby day overlaps with the PIPSC AGM on November 28, 2023. This means that most of the PIPSC activists will be out of town and unavailable to attend the lobby day, although the AGM could be an opportunity to lobby with the members of parliament who are attending the convention.  

Jennie reads out highlights of the Indigenous Caucus’ report provided by Mitesh, where members met with members of parliament to encourage them to take action on issues such as the harm done by the residential schools. 

Although the turnout was lower than anticipated, the event went well overall as a number of PIPSC members who are usually unlikely to participate attended the event, with up to 90 self-identified Indigenous members present. Orange sweatshirts and other swag items were handed out, with Tobacco packages gifted to elders. 

Attendance in Winnipeg was less than a dozen, but meeting with local members allowed for lower costs and more personalized experiences. The HRDC hopes more people will attend Indigenous-related events in the future, although this might be a challenge as there is no upcoming event planned (the main sponsor unfortunately withdrew funding).

1. The topic of the Israel-Hamas conflict is addressed throughout the HRDC’s meeting. This issue is particularly relevant to the HRDC because: 

• it is a reflection of local and international social justice issues;
• it is current;
• PIPSC recently took a public position on the matter, and;
• the HRDC should weigh in on the timing and stance of PIPSC’s statement, especially as the conflict continues to evolve.   

The statement in question, titled “PIPSC statement on the crisis in the Middle East” can be found on PIPSC’s website under “News & Issues”.

Jennie recognizes that the situation is troubling for many of our members, and expresses disappointment in PIPSC for not only releasing a fairly neutral statement but also the tardiness of the latter compared to other unions. Jennie reiterates that an open invitation is extended to the Muslim Federal Employees Network and the Jewish Public Servants' Network. 

Din calls attention to the diverging responses from Canadian officials on the Ukrainian crisis and the crisis in the Gaza strip. While the former was addressed swiftly, with the government becoming resourceful with funding, the latter did not receive the same treatment. This sends out a message to the Canadian populace that certain vulnerable groups are more deserving of help than others. This mentality is also reflected in PIPSC, where we are able to talk about the Israel-Palestine crisis, yet unwilling to enact change. This challenge is exacerbated by the short mandate terms, and because board membership is only open to members at large if a region executives are not interested. In this sense, the committee gives the impression that it is designed to pacify rather than to lead meaningful change, or to be used as a way to move up within the institution.

The committee also wants to direct attention to the pleas of Indigenous communities who have yet to gain access to drinking water and of families struggling to access adequate housing. PIPSC, as an organization that deals with political affairs, should be vocal and keep the government accountable.

2. The topic of popular education will be reported at the next meeting. Manny Costain, Malcolm Lewis-Richmond or Candace Jazvac to be invited and provide more information. 

Stacy McLaren - Is happy to be present at this committee meeting as most HRDC meetings in the past overlapped with those of the Board. Names for the CLC committee will be provided once received.

Din Kamaldin - offers closing remarks on the following two items:

1. He expresses his disappointment that PIPSC has not reserved a space for the youth committee as was done at previous AGMs. The youth committee was a great opportunity to see new faces and to have stewards attend events for engagement. 

2. Regarding the Israeli-Palestine conflict, Din shares that despite the global efforts to start a movement, the ability of lobbyist groups to impose a fear of speaking out is a serious human rights violation in itself. Although Canada somewhat champions human rights, this conflict has made the discriminatory application of policies and governance obvious. This unfortunate reality trickles down even to the Institute. It is up to the labour movement to lead positive reform on all aspects of human rights, especially as public funds are shrinking and people are increasingly vulnerable to distressing economic conditions.

Madeeha Chouhdry - expresses that the statement put out by PIPSC regarding the Israel-Hamas war was played safe, contrasting with the union’s efforts to be vocal about other issues like the holocaust and residential schools. The hesitance and fear to speak out on this issue despite the increasing nonchalance towards overt racism and discrimination in society is alarming. As for the HRDC, Madeeha stresses the importance of a cohesive handover to the incoming committee members so that the great ideas generated by the caucuses over the past year are not lost.  

To this, Stacy suggests that an archive be created for the HRDC to record the various ideas and progress of the committee and the caucuses.

Jacquie Dixon - states that although PIPSC’s statement on the Israel-Hamas conflict was played safe and likely alienated some of our members, it is nevertheless good that the Institute put out a statement. Jacquie shares some of her experiences in interacting with a group containing individuals with contentious political relations, emphasizing that regardless of any enmity socio-political groups may have against each other, most are advocates for peace. As a union that engages with the political, PIPSC must recognize their role in supporting its members and all its minorities. 

As for the future of the HRDC and its caucuses, Jacquie commends the committee and caucus members for doing a great job and proposes that the equal sharing of committee responsibilities be continued along with the roadmap Jennie created. Jacquie is happy to provide support in 2024 should it be needed, and is proud that this year felt like the HRDC was truly taking action. 

Farzana Merani - asks about how long the current committee members can help the HRDC. Since the committee remains in effect until a new committee is appointed, Farzana proposes a motion that when the current members meet in early 2024, the vision for the HRDC and the caucuses be concretized as she fears the actively engaged members may lose their zeal if the momentum cannot be retained. Stacy McLaren seconds the motion. 

Jennie Esnard proposes that the post-AGM momentum will be especially valuable as the convention will generate new interest and insight. A proper handover is therefore critical. 

Stacy McLaren suggests that the new HRDC chair in 2024 invite the current members for joint HRDC sessions for at least the first 2 meetings. 

Jennie Esnard - shares that it does bother her that the PIPSC statement on the Israel-Hamas conflict was played safe. She wishes the statement was stronger and more confident, which is difficult when the Institute tried to sit on the fence. 

The chair’s closing remarks are that she feels blessed to work with her fellow committee members, who are true activists of unionization. Caucus chairs don’t necessarily need to worry about the number of people who show up to their meetings since the people who do are incredibly enthusiastic about the issues at hand, and they fulfill their caucus responsibilities really well. 

Jennie thanks the HRDC members for their efforts and work ethic and looks forward to seeing them at the AGM.