Brothers and Sisters,
Almost seven months have passed since you have placed your trust in my hands at the convention in St John’s NL last June. This said, I realized at that time that the responsibility was going to be a big and difficult one! But seven months later I sit writing this report saying “a few curse words” hoping that a little humour will numb the pain cause by a Harper majority government on the Canadian public and the Canadian Public Services.
After a few minutes of repeating these “words” I realized that there is nothing that will ease that pain and burden on us or the Canadian Public. Wow, I say! We are living in one of the World greatest Nation and someone walks into office and attempts to ruin it!
Then an inspiring thing comes to mind and that is the great action taken by Brigitte DePape a brave young Senate Page that decided she had enough of this nightmare and called the public to “Stop Harper” during the speech of the Throne.
Then I realized all the works we have accomplish together in this short time and what we still have ongoing like:
• “Don’t cut me, I deliver public Services”;
• “Hands off my Pension”;
• “Harper hates me”;
• MP lobbying;
• The Third Choice Campaign;
• The Tony Clement Petition;
• The CFIB Campaign;
• Contract negotiations for the different groups;
• And the list goes on…
Then the questions of what have I done to contribute come up to my mind and I start reflecting on my travels, encounters and discussions! And this brings me to realize that I have been fortunate to meet many PSAC members and communicate the various different issues that affect us and Canadians in general.
Here is an overview of my activities in the past seven months:
June 24 to 26, 2011 – PSAC Tri-Annual Convention Atlantic Region
This marked my first ever PSAC activity and also my election to the position of Director of Young Workers
August 7 to 27, 2011 – out of Region for work, working in Windsor, Ontario
My employer gave me a temporary assignment in the Southern Ontario Region working at the Windsor-Detroit International Tunnel and this gave me a great opportunity to work with other PSAC Director such as Brother Mike Fummerton and Sister Karen Church who are both Council Directors on the Ontario Regional Council.
October 5, 2011 – Stewards Meeting in Edmundston
This meeting was very positive and gave me the opportunity to listen to some issues that the Brothers and Sisters in Northern New Brunswick are facing. It also gave me the opportunity to introduce the members of Council to the different Stewards present and explained to them that we are the decision making body between convention and that they need to assist us in making the decision by keeping in touch with us and informing us on the different issues.
October 15, 2011 – Occupy Fredericton
The Occupy movement had lots in common with us, they represent the 99% of the population and they are against the corporate greed and Government bailout at the expense of the middle and lower class! Well we are that 99 % and we lobby the Government everyday to reverse the corporate tax cut in order to reduce deficits instead of cutting Public Servants jobs and pensions. This also gave me the opportunity to discuss various issues with DCL members from the Universities in Fredericton.
October 21 to 23, 2011 – CIU National Tri-Annual Convention in Ottawa
The Customs and Immigration Union 16th Convention was my first component convention and I was attending as an observer. This convention gave me the opportunity to have one on one conversation with many members from Atlantic Canada and also I had the pleasure to be elected as the first ever National Youth Representative on the CIU National Board of Directors, representing our young members Nationwide.
October 31, 2011 – Interview with Ariel Troster with Our Union Voice
This interview was concerning the recent job cuts and job insecurity created by the Harper Government and how it affected our young members in our communities.
November 3 to 6, 2011 – Regional Council Meetings
WOW… is the only word that comes to mind in describing our first Council meeting. What a team you have put together to work for you in the next 3 years; professionalism, passion, devotion, knowledge are all words that describes the members on Council. Also during this meeting I was appointed by the REVP to the Education committee and elected by the Members on Council to the Finance Committee.
November 7 to 9, 2011 – Meetings in Ottawa with CIU National President and tour of PSAC Building
These meetings were to discuss issues affecting CIU and my new National Role, but I also took the opportunity to discuss the unfair job lost due to centralization and budget cuts in our region that as affected both CIU and PSAC members. Brother Fortin also took the opportunity of me being in Ottawa to provide me with a visit of the PSAC National Office and allow me to have a brief discussion with Brother Gordon about the importance of Young Workers in our Organisation and Components.
November 26 & 27, 2011 – Talking Union Basic course in Fredericton
This course was a great opportunity for me to grasp a better understanding of our Union and its origin but even more importantly to promote among the Brothers and Sisters present the activities of Council and our roles.
December 7 & 8, 2011 – Meetings Municipality Matter (Miramichi & Bathurst)
Municipality Matter is a committee put forward by the CLC in order to establish and endorse Union friendly Candidates to the New Brunswick Municipal election for the fall of 2012.
January 8 to 28, 2011 – out of Region for work, Training at the Atlantic Police Academy
My employer sent me on Duty Firearms Training at the Atlantic Police Academy in Summerside, PEI. Again this gave the opportunity to widen my network within PSAC because I had the opportunity to meet members from all of Atlantic and also other Regions.
In addition I would like to add that I started a Networking initiative within the Region in an attempt to create a contact data for all Young Workers in the Atlantic Region. This was started with the send out of my introduction letter last month and there will be other steps to come.
I’ve also been working back and fourth with the REVP Office and the REVP herself on establishing a curriculum for the Youth Retreat coming up this spring.
There has also been a few communications with Brigette DePape in an attempt to get her in Atlantic Canada for our Young Workers retreat as a guess speaker.
Also recently the office of the REVP distributed an introduction letter on my behalf whereby I invite them to get in touch with me.
All of this is only a start… and I look forward to doing more.
In Solidarity,
Andre Beaulieu
Director for Young Workers
Atlantic Regional Council