O’Siyo ᎣᏏᏲ “o-si-yo,” (Cherokee: I see you) Hello and Bonjour Union Members,
As the year comes to a close, I want to extend my heartfelt thanks for your trust and support. It is an honour to stand alongside you, fighting for your rights and strengthening our collective voice.
This season invites reflection, and I find myself thinking about how far we have come as a labour movement—and how much further we must go. Together, we have achieved great strides, but the journey continues. I encourage each of us to consider our individual contributions to creating a world where we can all grow and thrive.
As a collective, let us continue to heal, strive for justice, and aim higher in the year ahead.
From my heart to yours, I wish you a joyous holiday season, and a Happy New Year.
In solidarity,
Alisha Kang National President Union of National Employees
I asked several people what Human Rights Day meant to them. This is what they spoke to me…….
Human Rights Day (OBLIVION)
ask people what it means, I wonder what they’d say? would they know, or understand? is it just another day?
Oblivious to our privilege, Scurrying between this and that. Not a worry to worry, It seems. Basic needs, all met.
There are those that know none of this; They are oblivious to privilege too. Their focus is consumed by basic need. What will it take today? What will they have to do?
They have a right to life, But safety is not guaranteed. They have a right to dignity, But they seldom get what they need. Too many rights are a distant dream, wasting energy on those, futile. Focus is on what is needed, As life shrinks around that.
human rights what are they? and are they afforded to all? are they given? are they granted? are they something one can bestow? Then by what authority are they so routinely taken, Withheld from so many?
no really, I’m asking. what are they? I’d really like to know.
Michael Freeman UNE National Vice-President for Human Rights
On December 6th, 1989, 14 young women from Polytechnique Montréal, were massacred in an act of violent misogyny. In 1991, Parliament established this day of mourning (December 6th) as the National Day of Remembrance and Action on Violence Against Women which is informally known as White Ribbon Day.
On this day, we remember and take a moment to honour those who lost their lives to gender-based violence:
Geneviève Bergeron
Hélène Colgan
Nathalie Croteau
Barbara Daigneault
Anne-Marie Edward
Maud Haviernick
Maryse Laganière
Maryse LeClair
Anne-Marie Lemay
Sonia Pelletier
Michèle Richard
Annie St. Arneault
Annie Turcotte
Barbara Klucznik-Widajewicz
Gender-based violence remains prominent world-wide. The latest report from the UN Office on Drugs and Crime and the UN Women shows that femicide is rising around the world. This type of violence disproportionately impacts those with multiple intersection grounds of oppression. For example, Indigenous women are six times more likely to be killed than non-Indigenous women.
Much more needs to be done to prevent violence against women, to stop its escalation and provide adequate services to survivors and punish perpetrators.
Actions you can take:
Wear a white ribbon
Observe a moment of silence at 11:00 AM
Attend a vigil in our community
Share a National Day of Remembrance Post
16 Days of Activism Against Gender-based Violence (From November 25th to December 10th) and use the #16Days
End Impunity by holding perpetrators accountable and establishing zero tolerance of violence against women and girls
Adopt, implement and fund National Action Plans to end violence against women and girls
Invest in prevention and women’s rights organizations to ensure rights and access to essential services for survivors
Attend an event in your community to show your support to victims and survivors
Consider donating to a local shelter
This is a day to reflect on violence against women in our society. It is a day on which communities and individuals can come together, speak out, and take action to eliminate all forms of violence against women and girls. We must remain committed to a future without violence against women.
Mireille Jaillet UNE National Equity Representative for Women
As a proud member of the Union of National Employees (UNE), Public Service Alliance of Canada (PSAC), I want to emphasize the significance of Mental Illness Awareness Week, which takes place from October 6-12, 2024. This year’s theme, “Access For All: Time For Action, Time For Change,” calls for urgent, equitable mental health care and challenges everyone—employers, policymakers, and communities—to take action now.
Mental Illness Awareness Week is a crucial time to reflect on the struggles millions of people face in accessing care. Public sector employees, particularly Indigenous peoples, disproportionately experience mental health challenges due to historical trauma, systemic inequities, high-pressure work environments, tight deadlines, and the ongoing transition to post-COVID workplaces. When compounded with inflation and global crises, the toll on workers becomes even more significant.
The Union has taken proactive steps by advocating for flexible work environments, enhanced mental health resources, and protections against burnout and harassment. Despite increased awareness, barriers to mental health care remain—long wait times, geographical limitations, and financial constraints continue to hinder access, especially for marginalized communities.
However, talk alone isn’t enough. We need actionable solutions. Access to care is not a privilege—it’s a right. Many workers still hesitate to seek help due to fears of career repercussions. As a Union, we are committed to reshaping this narrative, ensuring that mental health discussions are normalized in the workplace. Open conversations help create more supportive and inclusive environments for everyone. Employers must be equipped with the resources and training to support employees facing mental health challenges. This collective effort is essential to ensuring that no one is left behind in accessing care, regardless of socioeconomic status, race, or location.
Continued activism plays a vital role in fostering a workplace culture that prioritizes mental health. This week emphasizes that mental health care is not solely about individual self-care—it’s about building an environment where employees feel safe sharing their mental health struggles without fear of judgment.
There is a deep well of resilience rooted in Indigenous traditions, cultural practices, and community bonds. When addressing mental health in the context of Indigenous relationships, it is crucial to acknowledge the unique challenges faced by Indigenous communities. This includes addressing systemic barriers and promoting access to care that respects Indigenous autonomy, identity, and self-determination. Strengthening relationships with Indigenous peoples requires not only improving mental health access but also fostering trust and collaboration in healing and wellness initiatives.
A fitting quote from Indian monk Swami Vivekananda, which aligns with mental health awareness, is: “Talk to yourself at least once in a day, otherwise you may miss meeting an excellent person in this world.”
Swami Vivekananda’s philosophy offers a holistic approach to mental health, blending spirituality, self-awareness, and positivity as the foundation for mental resilience and peace. His message remains relevant today, highlighting the importance of mental and spiritual harmony in the pursuit of a fulfilled life.
I am optimistic that by raising awareness during Mental Illness Awareness Week, we can foster a workplace environment where mental health discussions are normalized, stigma is reduced, and employees feel safe seeking help. The focus on action and inclusion will drive long-term changes in workplace mental health culture, ensuring that mental health care becomes a universal right, accessible to all workers, regardless of race, socioeconomic status, or geographic location. Strengthening relationships with Indigenous communities, in particular, will help address systemic barriers and promote collaboration in healing and wellness initiatives.
Prabir Roy UNE National Equity Representative for Persons with Disabilities
In recognition of the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation, PSAC is proud to introduce a new online course – Walking In Our Truth Together. This foundational truth-seeking online education program has been created for members to help support the pursuit of justice and reconciliation.
As a union committed to reconciliation, we aim to foster inclusive workplaces that reflect the unique lived experiences of Indigenous peoples. This course was inspired in part by several Calls to Action from the Truth and Reconciliation Commission, which urge governments and organizations to provide education on the history of Indigenous peoples. These include the history and legacy of residential schools, the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples, Treaties and Indigenous rights, Indigenous law, and Indigenous–Crown relations. These crucial topics are all covered in the 10 modules planned for the course.
We invite you to sign up for the course and begin your learning journey today. The first module is available now, with additional modules to follow monthly. Each module can be completed at your own pace.
This virtual course is more than just an educational tool; it is a vital step towards understanding and addressing the injustices that have impacted – and continue to affect – Indigenous communities across Canada.
Every step we take together brings us closer to a more just and inclusive society. We all have a responsibility and a role to play on the path to reconciliation, whether it’s through education, training, advocacy, or simply listening with an open heart.
Let us move forward with open minds, reaffirm our commitment to reconciliation, and carry these lessons into our workplaces and daily lives.
On September 30, we will be observing Orange Shirt Day and the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation. This is a new federal statutory holiday. This is the day everyone wears orange to remember the First Nations children who were sent to residential schools and never returned, and to honour the Survivors, their families, and their communities.
The Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada (TRC) was created between Residential Schools Survivors, the Assembly of First Nations, Inuit representatives and the parties responsible for the creation and operation of the schools: the federal government and the church bodies. The TRC was also advised by a ten-member Indian Residential Schools Survivor Committee, made up of residential school Survivors from across Canada.
When the TRC released its final report in 2015, it came with ninety-four calls to action demanding action by governments across Canada on a wide range of reconciliation initiatives.
The TRC hosted national events in different regions across Canada to promote awareness and public education about the residential school system and its impacts. They also supported community events designed by individual communities to meet their unique needs.
Of the ninety-four recommendations made by the Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada Calls to Action, only a few have been implemented. The TRC call to action is making progress — but not quickly enough for many Survivors, their families, and Indigenous communities. One of the calls to action has to do with Child welfare. Native children are on average the most apprehended by Child Welfare systems. You could say the cultural genocide is still occurring. 53.8% of children in foster care under fourteen are Indigenous.
The Survivors’ Secretariat was established in 2021 to organize and support efforts to uncover, document and share the truth about what happened at the Mohawk Institute during its 140 years of operation. After the closing of the Mohawk Institute its name was changed to the Woodland Cultural Centre.
The Centre serves to preserve, promote and strengthen Indigenous language, culture, art, and history of the Rotinahshonni people through innovative exhibitions and programs.
The TRC provides a platform for survivors to tell their stories and the TRCs acknowledge their suffering and loss. The TRC has led to major changes in how Canadians understand history, especially regarding Indigenous treatment. However, the term “reconciliation” remains controversial among Indigenous communities due to the lack of accompanying action.
Lenora Maracle UNE National Equity Representative for Indigenous Members
Women and girls represent half of the world’s population and yet, in the labour market, still earn 23% less than men globally. Women and girls earn less, and society expects them to spend up to three times as many hours doing unpaid domestic and care work than men.
That is only one of many barriers faced by women. They face sexual violence and exploitation, discrimination in public office and domestic abuse. Worldwide, nearly half of married women lack the decision-making power over their sexual and reproductive health rights. Gender equality is a fundamental human right. Advancing gender equality is critical in the foundation of a peaceful, prosperous, and sustainable world. Unfortunately, we are not on track to achieve equality between genders by 2030.
To keep progress on a forward path, girls need to stay in school and learn how to fight for their rights: their right for equal pay, right over sexual and reproductive health services, right to chose when and who to marry, right to choose the career they wish to pursue. In doing so, they will gain the confidence needed and will want to get involved in shaping economic and political decision that affect not only their lives but their communities.
As a woman, we need to address unconscious biases and implicit associations that form unintended and often invisible barriers to equal opportunities. As for men and boys, they need to be our allies in the journey to achieve gender equality. We need to see more organizations like HeforShe that not only support the movement but also educate and provide opportunities and spaces for important conversations.
Structural and discriminatory social norms such as sexual harassment, rape culture, survivors’ rights, equal pay, beauty standards and reproductive freedoms have forced a fourth wave of activists to speak on these subjects. Campaigns such as UniTE to End Violence Against Women, Women’s March, HeforShe, MeToo and 16 Days of Activism Against Gender-Based Violence have had a huge impact on the advancement of Gender Equality thanks to these courageous and steadfast activists.
Yann Boudreau, former UNE Regional Vice-President for the Quebec Region, has been elected as the new National Vice-President for Occupational Health and Safety (OHS).
Yann Boudreau’s main objectives for this mandate will be as follows:
Work with the National Executive to advance UNE issues.
Work with the UNE OHS Committee to organize an interesting and informative Health & Safety Conference for our members.
Assist members in answering OHS questions.
Create a community of exchange and communication between the OHS representatives of each of the Local sections.
Monday’s announcement allowing thousands of residents re-entry into the municipality of Jasper, many of them UNE members working at the Jasper National Park, is the first step in a long road ahead of healing and recovery. It will be the first time for many of them to face the damages and devastation to their community. The park remains closed to the public, as the initial re-entry is for residents only.
Our members working and living within Jasper, know UNE has been in close communication with the employer ever since the wildfire started. The main topics discussed have been the safety of our members and their families, the provisions in place to support them while displaced, communication, and mental health. The employer has allocated resources to support those affected by the wildfires.
A FAQ has been distributed. Please reach out to your Local executive if you have not received it. It contents valuable information about:
General information and financial supports
Government of Alberta supports
Red Cross supports and information
Questions on impacts to PCA Staff and Staff Housing
Questions regarding travel situations
Questions regarding general HR situations
Questions regarding pay
Questions about staffing
Questions on Health support
For health support specifically, the following resources are available:
The Employee Family and Assistance Program (EFAP) crisis line is available 24 hours a day at 1-800-268-7708 (or TTY 1-800-567-5803). The call centre is aware of the context in Jasper National Park and can provide immediate support. If employees are not in a crisis, the call centre will make the arrangement to have a counsellor contact you within five business days to set up a free appointment (up to 12 hours of counselling per issue) in person or virtually. They can also book an appointment by live chat(password: canada), Monday to Friday, 10 a.m. to 9:30 p.m. (MT).
For those remaining to support fire management efforts in Jasper at this time, please know that there are two mental health professionals (MHP) coordinated with the Health Canada Psychosocial Response and Extended Counselling (PREC) team on site with incident command, to support all Parks Canada employees. Employees who are not part of the fire crews can request to meet or talk to the MHP by contacting them directly. The MHPs will be on rotation in Hinton and neighbouring sites every two weeks until the end of September.
Additional mental health support may be requested at any time and coordinated with the Parks Canada Wellness team at mieuxetre-wellness@pc.gc.ca and the Health Canada PREC team at PRECGeneral.CPRPGeneral@hc-sc.gc.ca.
Don’t hesitate to reach out to your regional and national teams to advise us of any challenges regarding your employment while displaced so that we may raise them with the employer as soon as possible.
