The Professional Institute of the Public Service of Canada
The Professional Institute of the Public Service of Canada
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Minutes for the Vancouver SP Sub Group Executive Meeting – April 30 2025

Date: April 30, 2025 / Time: 6:30 PM
Location: Grand Villa Casino (Personas Patio Restaurant and Lounge)

Executive Members
Tanya Evans
Tim Powers
Eric Crawford - Regrets
Judy Hartman
Lindsay Howes - Regrets
Philip Bartha
Bryan Chen
Robert MacDonald

Special Guests: Denis Semail – regrets received

1. Call to Order

  • Meeting called to order at 7:07 PM

2. Approval of the agenda

  • Agenda approved. M/S/C

3. Approval of the meeting minutes for February 26, 2025

  • Minutes approved. M/S/C

4. Business arising from the Minutes

  • See agenda items below.

5. Treasurer’s Report (Tim)

  • Tim provided an update on the financial status of the sub-group.
  • Signatures for sub-group bank card collected from executive members.
  • Options for reimbursement for members attending executive meetings discussed.
  • Noted that executive members should notify Tim of expenses and keep receipts for all purchases. When planning events, executive members should always be conscious of the sub-group’s budget.
  • Acceptance of verbal report. M/S/C

6. National and Regional Updates

  • National Updates
    • SP Group National AGM occurred in April. Discussion at AGM focused on implications of federal election and push for pay simplification.
    • Initiation of internal bargaining group for coordination.
    • 2025 National AGM anticipated for 2nd week of December.
       
  • Regional Updates
    • Update provided on success of White Rock outreach event organized by Bryan (50 attendees).
    • Upcoming BC-Yukon Regional Council meeting in Parksville on June 13th and 14th. Interested members can talk to Ted Mitchell-Molyneux about attending.
       
  • SP Vancouver Sub-Group AGM
    • SP Vancouver Sub-Group AGM set for December 4, 2025. Discussion of Personas as a potential venue for the AGM. Executive members to keep treasurer up to date on AGM costs.

7. Vancouver SP Sub Group Activities for 2025

  • Lunch and Learns (L&Ls)
    • Team noted success of Rob’s recent L&L on leave codes (136 attendees online and 66 in person at 401 Burrard, Victoria, and Nanaimo). Interest from other regions in receiving the same presentation.
    • Pre-made presentations are available for future L&Ls. Tanya willing to help answer questions on how to run L&Ls over Zoom and can help interested members access said presentations. PIPSC 101 L&L raised as a possible topic.
       
  • Visibility items
    • Plan to distribute visibility items for executive members at a future SP Vancouver Sub-Group Executive Meeting.
       
  • Movie Mornings
    • Two separate movie mornings coming up in May:
    • $500 previously allocated to SP and IT Sub-Group movie morning to go towards visibility items at the event. On April 5th, 2025, the Sub-group executive supported spending an additional $500 for the SP and IT movie morning by email. The total that the Sub-Group has dedicated to the event is now $1000. Sub-Group still plans to use these funds for purchasing visibility items.

 

  • Beach Clean-up
    • 401 Burrard SP Sub Group is running a beach clean up in Kitsilano on May 24th.
       
  • Networking / outreach to CAPE, PSAC, local subgroups (401)
    • Noted that effort should be made, where possible, to include other groups when planning future events, including outreach events.
    • Members can use active google chat for members, stewards, and EROs to ask questions. A PIPSC email address is required for access.
    • ACTION: Tanya to share new SP Bluesky account with executive team.
       
  • Labour Day
    • Potential ideas for increasing member attendance discussed (boxed lunches, sending emails, creating posters, etc.).
    • ACTION: Rob to send list of potential visibility items for Labour Day event to executive for input. Noted that family-oriented items may be more appropriate.
       
  • Pride
    • Noted that executive members may need to purchase pride merchandise for distribution at future pride events.
       
  • Spring Outreach Activity
    • Funds still available to purchase goodies and treats for union members in office buildings as a Spring outreach activity. All treats would need to have PIPSC messaging included with them.
    • Only one purchase made so far. Up to ~$350 is still available ($50 per building).
       
  • Bowling Event
    • Venue identified for bowling outreach event: REVS Burnaby Bowling Centre
    • Event tentatively scheduled for Thursday or Friday on either the last week of June or 2nd week of July. Still subject to change pending availability of speakers.
    • Event would be opportunity for members to speak one-on-one with executives on union-related topics in a more casual setting.
    • ACTIONS: Bryan and Philip to look into potential options for additional funding (e.g. Better Together), potential for executives and other groups (e.g. 401 Burrard) to attend, and initiate process of posting event on PIPSC website.

 

  • Notes for current and future events
    • Bird banding (w/ Vancouver Avian Research Centre), Japanese forest bathing, board game night, and Canadians baseball game all raised as potential ideas for future outreach events.
    • Region has PIPSC merchandise in storage that may be available if needed for future events. Check with Regional Executives before accessing these materials.

8. Other Business

  • N/A

9. Location and preferred dates of next executive meeting

  • Next SP Vancouver Subgroup Executive Meeting tentatively scheduled for Thursday, June 19 at 6:30 PM, online.
     
  • Subsequent meeting planned for July, in-person. Date and time TBD at next meeting.

10. Adjournment

  • Meeting adjourned at 8:50 PM. M/C
Published on 2 July 2025