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Minutes

Annual General Meeting of November 26, 2025

NR Ville de Québec Sub-Group

 

 

Date: November 26, 2025, 5:30 p.m.

Location: Pacini Lebourgneuf (2013 Lebourgneuf Boulevard, Québec, G2K 0N8)

 

AGM Chair: Patrick Lacoursière, President of the NR Ville de Québec Sub-Group

Recording Secretary: Jessika Poirier, Secretary of the NR Ville de Québec Sub-Group

Treasurer: Jean-Luc Bédard, Treasurer of the NR Ville de Québec Sub-Group

Special guest: Member of the NR Group’s bargaining team

 

In attendance

The following members of the NR Ville de Québec Sub-Group were in attendance:

  • Alex Tourigny-Plante, Defence Research and Development Canada (DRDC)
  • Claudia Gaudreault, Public Services and Procurement Canada (PSPC)
  • Cynthia Aleman, Public Services and Procurement Canada (PSPC)
  • Étienne Ransford, Defence Research and Development Canada (DRDC)
  • Giles McClintock, Department of National Defence (DND)
  • Jean-Luc Bédard (Treasurer), Department of National Defence (DND)
  • Jessica Pageau, Environment and Climate Change Canada (ECCC)
  • Jessika Poirier (Secretary), Public Services and Procurement Canada (PSPC)
  • Julia Emma Zaldua, Public Services and Procurement Canada (PSPC)
  • Luce Larivière, Public Services and Procurement Canada (PSPC)
  • Mohamed Ali Cissé, Public Services and Procurement Canada (PSPC)
  • Omar Kali (Vice-President), Fisheries and Oceans Canada (retired)
  • Pascal Béland, Defence Research and Development Canada (DRDC)
  • Patrick Lacoursière (President), Department of National Defence (DND)
  • Robert Durocher, Department of National Defence (DND)
  • Samuel Bruneau-Dubuc, Department of National Defence (DND)
  • Samuel Côté, Department of National Defence (DND)
  • Serey-Paeak Sea, Canadian Space Agency (CSA)
  • Stephane Mailhot, Department of National Defence (DND)

The following guest non-members of the NR Ville de Québec Sub-Group were in attendance:

  • Francis Bégin (guest), Natural Resources Canada (NRCan)
  • Philippe Ouimet (guest), Canadian Space Agency (CSA)

 

 

  1. Call to Order and Quorum

The meeting was called to order at 5:40 p.m. Nineteen members of the Sub-Group and two guests were in attendance.

  1. President’s Opening Remarks and Introduction of the Executive

President Patrick Lacoursière explained the context of the event. All the members of the Executive began by introducing themselves, followed by a roundtable with each person introducing themselves briefly.

  1. Review and Approval of the Agenda

The agenda was sent to the members with the notice of meeting and was projected onto the screen. The Executive Committee indicated that they would like to talk about workforce adjustment in the New Business item, following an informal proposal from Jessika Poirier in the lead-up to the meeting. A member suggested adding an item to New Business to discuss the provincial government’s Bill 3.

Francis Bégin moved to adopt the agenda, including the additions, seconded by Jean-Luc Bédard.

  1. Approval of the 2024 AGM Minutes

The minutes of the 2024 Annual General Meeting (AGM) were projected onto the screen and were available on the union’s website. The notice to attend the 2025 AGM included the hyperlink to this webpage and a note that it would not be read in its entirety at the event. Secretary Jessika Poirier nevertheless summarized the main points, given that this was a fairly traditional general meeting with no specifics on the agenda.

Mohamed Ali Cissé moved to approve the minutes and Pascal Béland seconded.

  1. President’s Annual Report

Patrick Lacoursière explained how SG members are distributed among the various departments. It was noted that a significant proportion of members work for the Department of National Defence (DND). This number is likely to increase, as the DND plans to hire large numbers of people. Philippe Ouimet pointed out that there would actually be more Canadian Space Agency members if the place of residence (Québec City) was taken into account rather than the place of work (Longueuil) for employees who mainly work remotely. Francis Bégin, the guest from the Québec Branch, noted that there will likely be a higher-level motion within PIPSC to rectify this type of situation, as it is a broader issue.

Patrick Lacoursière presented the previous year’s activities, including the SG’s activities and events where the Executive Committee members represented the SG. He also reviewed the most important issues of the year. Some of these issues are still relevant, so the discussion involved part of item 9. Discussion with a Member of the NR Group Collective Agreement Bargaining Team and item 10.1 New Business – Workforce Adjustments.

 

Dues Increase

Philippe Ouimet explained that this adjustment was intended to address increasing expenses. He noted that PIPSC has expanded the number of groups it represents, such as civilian members of the RCMP (added in 2017) and groups outside the FPS. He mentioned the permanent employees necessary for the union to function, noting that in the past, they have gone on strike to improve their working conditions, which is an ironic situation for a labour organization. He also announced that the website will be redesigned to improve the user experience.

Work from home

There have been rumours about the increase in the number of mandatory in-office days. Philippe Ouimet mentioned that telework is not protected in the collective agreement and that the employer currently has full freedom to change the conditions of working from home. This is a disadvantageous situation for employees that could be addressed when the next collective agreement is negotiated.

Workforce Adjustment

Philippe Ouimet said that PIPSC is putting pressure to limit staff cuts but noted that the employer side has full decision-making authority when it comes to reducing staff. That said, in the collective agreements, there are several measures to try to limit or offset the negative impact of workforce adjustments, and PIPSC’s role is to ensure that these measures are applied. An FAQ on workforce adjustments was recently added to the PIPSC website.

Paid Travelling Time

Several members at the meeting mentioned that they had encountered problems with overtime compensation on travel days. Philippe Ouimet clarified that, according to the collective agreement, one full day of travel is a maximum of 7.5 hours, but if the employee works (e.g., opens their emails), it is a maximum of 15 hours. Robert Durocher added that trips that involve crossing different time zones are subject to interpretation. Several members would like the agreement to be more precise for different situations to leave less room for the employer’s interpretation. It was also noted that there is a perception that budget-related employee travel restrictions are not being applied equitably to employees and management. Philippe Ouimet reminded members that it is possible to make access to information requests to find out how travel budgets are allocated between EX positions and other positions.

[Secretary’s note: The following passage from the NR Group collective agreement is the one to which the conversation seems to refer:

13.01 When the Employer requires an employee to travel outside the employee’s headquarters area for the purpose of performing duties, the employee shall be compensated in the following manner:

  1. on a normal working day on which the employee travels but does not work, the employee shall receive the employee’s regular pay for the day;
  2. on a normal working day on which the employee travels and works, the employee shall be paid:
    1. the employee’s regular pay for the day for a combined period of travel and work not exceeding seven decimal five (7.5) hours,
      and
    2. at the applicable overtime rate for additional travel time in excess of a seven decimal five (7.5) hour period of work and travel, with a maximum payment for such additional travel time not to exceed fifteen (15) hours’ pay at the straight-time rate in any day;
  3. on a day of rest or on a designated paid holiday, the employee shall be paid at the applicable overtime rate for hours travelled to a maximum of fifteen (15) hours’ pay at the straight-time rate.

End of note.]

Uncertified Sick Leave

A member mentioned that during the pandemic, the medical certificate requirement for more than five days of sick leave was lifted and wondered if this is still the case. Philippe Ouimet replied that there is nothing in the collective agreement that stipulates after how many days of sick leave an employee must provide a medical certificate, and that industries or managers can use their discretion to request a certificate depending on the circumstances. However, he added that they are within their rights to request a medical certificate under labour standards and that collective agreements cannot contravene these standards.

[Secretary’s note: The following passage from the Canada Labour Code appears to be the one to which the conversation refers:

SECTION XIII Medical Leave

Certificate

239 (2) The employer may, in writing and no later than 15 days after the return to work of an employee who has taken a medical leave of absence of at least five consecutive days, require the employee to provide a certificate issued by a health care practitioner certifying that the employee was incapable of working for the period of their medical leave of absence.s

End of note.]

  1. Treasurer’s Annual Report

[Secretary’s note: Amounts have been rounded to the nearest dollar.]

2025 Financial Statements

Jean-Luc Bédard, treasurer of the Sub-Group, presented the financial statements for 2025. Note that while the AGM takes place in November, the financial cycle is based on the calendar year, so the year-end figure is a projection.

The 2025 budget projected revenues of $2,841 and expenditures of $2,770, resulting in a surplus of $71. The actual figures are $3,643 in revenue and $4,785 in expenditures, resulting in a deficit of $1,141. The additional costs are related to activities or meals at events. A request for assistance of $1,000 was made to the Québec Branch and a decision will be rendered at its next Executive Committee meeting on December 3, 2025. The Sub-Group started the year with $1,142 in its account. Although it depends on AGM expenses and the movie event planned for December, the year-end balance is estimated at $157. Jean-Luc Bédard pointed out that, unlike personal finances, the goal of an entity such as the Sub-Group is not to save money, but rather to spend it for the benefit of its members, within the limits of the funds available. He explained that the method used to calculate the allowance provided to the Sub-Group by the PIPSC central Branch takes into account the number of members and that this allowance may be reduced if the Sub-Group’s cash balance is too high. According to his calculations, there must be less than $1,350 in the SG’s account at the end of the fiscal year to receive the maximum allowance.

Philippe Ouimet clarified that the number of members used to calculate the allowance only takes into account members whose official workplace is located in the Sub-Group’s geographic region and excludes members whose place of residence is located there, even if they work from home full-time or most of the time. This is another repercussion of an issue that was mentioned earlier in the evening during the presentation of the President’s report.

2026 Budget

The budget for 2026 involves revenues of $2,730 and expenditures of the same amount, balancing at $0.

Giles McClintock moved to adopt the 2026 budget as presented and Robert Durocher seconded.

Motion to increase the allowances for Branches and Sub-Groups

Jean-Luc Bédard presented a financial motion that he prepared and that was introduced for the PIPSC National Branch AGM through the Québec Branch and the NR Group. This motion proposes that the allowances for branches and sub-groups be increased by 25%, particularly considering that the amounts have not been adjusted for the cost of living for several years and that PIPSC itself increased union dues last year. He also pointed out that member participation in union life is crucial and that local branches are best placed to engage new members.

Philippe Ouimet reminded members that many motions are being introduced for the National AGM and that he is not sure there will be enough time to look at all of them. Motions that will not be dealt with during this AGM will still be reviewed by the National Executive Committee.

Involvement Incentive Program

To conclude this section, Jean-Luc Bédard presented the Involvement Incentive Program, which offers rewards of up to $150 per year based on the number of instances of involvement. This is a way to encourage members to get involved, knowing that Executive roles are voluntary and involve personal time. Francis Bégin, a guest from the Québec Branch, pointed out that this type of program is not common in the organization and is a great advantage to keep in mind during the elections later in the evening.

  1. By-Law Amendments

Jessika Poirier, Secretary, introduced this part of the AGM. She explained that the Executive Committee wished to propose a motion to amend its by-laws and regulations in order to regulate the participation of retired members in the Sub-Group. Members of the Executive Committee have found that in recent years, an increasing proportion of retired members are involved in the Executive of the National Branch of PIPSC, and several members wonder whether certain roles should be limited to active (non-retired) members. The SG Committee would like to take action to regulate the involvement of retired members in its Executive, and subsequently encourage the NR Group, the Québec Branch and the PIPSC National Executive Committee to do the same. It’s about setting a precedent.

Jessika Poirier presented the benefits of retired members participating, compiled by the Executive Committee:

  • Retired members have experience.
  • They provide a kind of knowledge continuity and continuity in bargaining.
  • They provide a different perspective from that provided by active members.
  • They often have more time to volunteer, and getting active members to participate can be difficult.

She also presented the disadvantages identified by the Executive Committee:

  • Retired members are not personally affected by changes to the collective agreement and are no longer in an active relationship with the employer, which could influence their decisions.
  • They are likely to be more disconnected from the reality of the workplace and the experiences of active members.
  • They are not in a position to encourage active member colleagues to get involved and take action.
  • There appear to have been cases of abuse where union meetings were treated more as social occasions funded by active members.
  • If important roles were monopolized by retired members, this could be seen as a kind of union devitalization.

In short, the Executive Committee is aware of the advantages of involving retired members but believes that it should be necessary to supervise them in order to limit the disadvantages.

Jean-Luc Bédard moved to make the following amendments to the by-laws and regulations of the NR Ville de Québec Sub-Group (i.e., the motion as communicated in the notice of meeting for the AGM), and Jessika Poirier seconded the motion:

  1. Amendment to section 4.1 (Rights of Members) to add “However, the positions of President and Vice-President are reserved for non-retired members.”
    • If amended, the section will read as follows: “All members shall be eligible to hold positions on the NR Group Executive, nominate members for positions on the Group Executive, propose amendments to the Constitution and By-laws of the Group, and vote on Group affairs. However, the positions of President and Vice-President are reserved for non-retired members.”
  2. Amendment to section 6.2 (Composition) of the By-Laws to add “The Executive shall not include more than two (2) retired members.”
    • If amended, the section will read as follows: “The Sub-Group Executive shall be elected by and from the Sub-Group members. The Sub-Group Executive shall be composed of a President, a Vice-President, a Secretary, a Treasurer and Members-at-Large up to the maximum permitted by Institute By-Laws. The Executive shall not include more than two (2) retired members.”

Some members in attendance raised questions about the wording of the amendments. For example, Jessika Poirier explained that the term “non-retired members” was chosen for clarity because the French term “membres actifs” was already used in the French version of the By-Laws to refer to members of the Executive without a formal position (also commonly referred to as “Directors” of the Executive).

A member also asked why the Executive Committee specified a maximum of two non-retired members on the Executive and why a percentage was not considered (e.g., no more than 25% of the Executive). Several points are made in favour of using whole numbers, notably the fact that percentages often involve rounding up or down, meaning that the ratio would fluctuate depending on the size of the Executive. The proposed wording of the amendments ensures that the Executive will never be composed of a majority of non-retirees.

A member asked how the clauses would be interpreted when a person retires during their term. Could someone potentially be dismissed during their term? The participants were of the opinion that clarification was needed.

Giles McClintock moved to amend the motion to add “at the time of the election” and Julia Emma Zaldua seconded the motion. The proposed amendments now read as follows:

  1. Amendment to section 4.1 (Rights of Members) to add “However, the positions of President and Vice-President are reserved for non-retired members at the time of the election.”
    • If amended, the section will read as follows: “All members shall be eligible to hold positions on the NR Group Executive, nominate members for positions on the Group Executive, propose amendments to the Constitution and By-laws of the Group, and vote on Group affairs. However, the positions of President and Vice-President are reserved for non-retired members at the time of the election.”
  2. Amendment to section 6.2 (Composition) of the By-Laws to add “The Executive shall not include more than two (2) retired members at the time of the election.”
    • If amended, the section will read as follows: “The Sub-Group Executive shall be elected by and from the Sub-Group members. The Sub-Group Executive shall be composed of a President, a Vice-President, a Secretary, a Treasurer and Members-at-Large up to the maximum permitted by Institute By-Laws. The Executive shall not include more than two (2) retired members at the time of the election.”

Participants voted on the proposed amendment to the main motion. It was carried unanimously.

The members of the meeting did not wish to propose any additional amendments to the main motion.

Jean-Luc Bédard moved to adopt the motion as amended, and Mohamed Ali Cissé seconded. The amended motion was carried unanimously.

  1. Executive Committee Elections

Francis Bégin was the returning officer. He presented the advantages of involvement in the Executive Committee, emphasizing the value of commitment to members, the importance of establishing communication links between departments within the NR Group, and the social aspect of the activities planned by the Committee.

Jessika Poirier explained that the terms of office are usually two years, but that, under the statutes, elections must be held alternately: only half of the positions are renewed each year to ensure the continuity of the Committee. As a result of the pandemic, this method of staggering terms was interrupted, and all positions were elected at the same time. To restore the regular cycle, half of the positions will exceptionally have a one-year term this year, so that elections will once again be staggered starting next year.

Details of the elections can be consulted in the returning officer’s report in the Appendix.

At the end of the elections, the following people were elected:

  • Patrick Lacoursière, President (2 years)
  • Robert Durocher, Vice-President (1 year)
  • Jessika Poirier, Secretary (1 year)
  • Jean-Luc Bédard, Treasurer (2 years)
  • Jessica Pageau, Director (1 or 2 years)
  • Omar Kali, Director (1 or 2 years) [retired member]
  • Samuel Bruneau-Dubuc, Director (1 or 2 years)
  • Bernard Michaud, Director (1 or 2 years)
  • Mohamed Ali Cissé, Director (1 or 2 years)
  • Giles McClintock, Director (1 or 2 years)

Half of the Director positions will be for one year and the other half for two years, and the distribution of these positions will be decided at the first meeting of the Executive Committee.

The assembly applauded each of the elected individuals. The Executive Committee was grateful for the high level of participation and thanked the new Committee members for their interest.

  1. Discussion with a Member of the NR Group Collective Agreement Bargaining Team

Presentation of Priority Survey Results

Jean-Luc Bédard presented the results of a survey to members asking them to rank certain demands in order of priority. He went through the survey findings one by one.

Philippe Ouimet thanked the Sub-Group for organizing the survey and the members for responding to it. He commented on the results and confirmed that the issues of salary, vacation and teleworking are already seen as crucial by the bargaining team. He pointed out that there is nothing on telework in the collective agreement, which gives the employer side a great deal of power. He also stated that the increase in the bilingualism bonus cannot be addressed: this bonus does not fall under the collective agreement, but rather under the National Joint Council, and therefore cannot be negotiated at the bargaining table.

Another survey for the entire NR Group is also expected to be conducted around January 2026. He encouraged members in attendance to respond, since the more data on members’ priorities and concerns the bargaining team has, the more easily it can make demands that are aligned with the group’s needs.

Discussion with Philippe Ouimet

Philippe Ouimet introduced himself and the bargaining team. He explained how the team was formed and assured attendees that the selection process was thorough. The challenge of including a good proportion of active (non-retired) members influenced the composition of the team.

Question from a member: Why is the bargaining team not composed of lawyers rather than members of the NR Group?

Philippe Ouimet’s answer: The Chief Negotiator comes from the legal community, and the Treasury Board has a legal representative as well. They are the ones who communicate together on behalf of their side. They consult and rely on information provided by the bargaining team, which is made up of members of the Group to ensure that it is representative.

Question: Considering that the collective agreement sometimes leaves a lot of room for interpretation by the employer, why does it not contain concrete examples of how certain complex clauses are applied?

Philippe Ouimet’s answer: “Unfortunately, it is not permitted to include examples in the collective agreement.” He also pointed out that each wording is the result of negotiation and that it is sometimes difficult to achieve the desired degree of precision.

Question: Why has the NR group never gone on strike, and does this undermine our credibility and bargaining power at the bargaining table? Should we be more daring in our approach to bargaining?

Answer: Philippe Ouimet explained that if the parties cannot reach an agreement, the settlement process must be chosen at the outset of bargaining: either arbitration or a strike. In arbitration, if the parties cannot reach an agreement through the regular bargaining process, each party will present its arguments to a third party, the Federal Public Sector Labour Relations and Employment Board (FPSLREB), which will make a decision. There is no legal right to strike if arbitration is chosen. Arbitration may be faster and less unpredictable, but it rarely leads to significant breakthroughs, as the third party relies on case law and remains relatively conservative so as not to set important precedents. Historically, the NR Group has opted for arbitration, which is why there has never been a strike. The other option, which can lead to a strike, involves a conciliation process with a committee, and if the union remains dissatisfied with the proposal, it then has the right to strike. With respect to the credibility of a strike, Philippe Ouimet noted that a strike is not always taken seriously by the employer, especially for groups whose strike does not directly impact the Canadian population. It is also important to remember that regardless of the method of resolution chosen, the parties could come to an agreement at the bargaining table.

Question: Why do the Public Service Alliance of Canada’s negotiations always take place before ours, thereby influencing the outcome of our negotiations?

Answer: The term of collective agreements may be modified during each round of negotiations, depending on what is deemed strategic. This is also the case with the PIPSC occupational groups. There are pros and cons of being the first or last to negotiate.

Question: In the event of a strike, would there be compensation? Would the strike necessarily be a long-term one?

Answer: Yes, there are different types of compensation depending on the situation. He also pointed out that there are different ways to strike, such as a “work-to-rule” strike, where employees continue to work but strictly adhere to the collective agreement, even when this is disadvantageous to the employer. There can also be limited strikes at strategic times. Each strike mandate must be voted on by members.

Question: In your opinion, how will the workforce adjustment affect the negotiations?

Answer: It makes the situation more precarious. For one thing, the employer is less flexible on wage negotiations because it wants to cut expenses and uses its payroll to choose the number of surplus jobs. On the other hand, members do not perceive priorities in the same way when they fear that their jobs are at risk.

Philippe Ouimet briefly described the mechanisms to protect indeterminate employees during a workforce adjustment. All the information presented and more can be viewed by members on this page of the union’s website: https://pipsc.ca/news-issues/understanding-work-force-adjustment. He reiterated that the union’s role is to protect employees’ rights by ensuring that all provisions on workforce adjustment set out in the collective agreement are applied.

It briefly presented the information available on the Early Retirement Incentive program announced in the 2020 budget. More details on this program can be found here: https://www.canada.ca/en/treasury-board-secretariat/services/pension-plan/news-notices-pensions-benefits/proposed-early-retirement-incentive.html.

Question: Are there measures for term employees during a workforce adjustment?

Answer: The terms and conditions negotiated in the collective agreement do not apply to term employees. Technically, the employer could terminate fixed-term contracts at its discretion if the position was no longer required, but it rarely does so. Generally, when there is a workforce adjustment, the employer tends to reduce the number of new fixed-term contracts offered or stop offering them and allow existing ones to terminate without renewing them. The employer may also suspend the application of the provision that provides for the conversion of the status of term employees to permanent status after three years of consecutive service (“Stop the clock”).

[Secretary’s note: More details on converting term contracts to indeterminate contracts here: https://www.tbs-sct.canada.ca/pol/doc-eng.aspx?id=32629]

10. Announcement of the Next Activity

The next SG activity is a family movie morning, which will be on December 13, 2025. About 40 people have already registered, and places are now limited, but it is still possible to register. The Sub-Group will request a monetary contribution from the Québec City Branch.

11. Door Prizes and Acknowledgements

Door prizes such as chocolates and items bearing the union logo were distributed to the Executive members and, after a random draw, to some of the members in attendance.

12. New Business

Workforce Adjustment

The WFA update was discussed in item 9 Discussion with a Member of the NR Group Collective Agreement Bargaining Team.

Québec City Branch

Francis Bégin promoted the Branch’s activities to the members in attendance.

Bill 3

Due to the time, Jessika Poirier moved that the discussion item regarding the provincial government’s Bill 3 be removed from the agenda. Jean-Luc Bédard seconded. The motion was unanimously approved.

13. Adjournment

Patrick Lacoursière moved to adjourn the meeting at 10:06 p.m. and Jessika Poirier seconded.

 

 

Published on 27 February 2026