The Professional Institute of the Public Service of Canada
The Professional Institute of the Public Service of Canada
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REPORT OF THE NATIONAL ELECTIONS COMMITTEE

Presented to the 98th Annual General Meeting

The National Elections Committee is appointed by the PIPSC Board of Directors in each new calendar year.  The committee conducts National Elections to positions on the Board (By-Law 17.3.2) and, from time-to-time, may conduct Constituent Body elections (By-Law 17.3.2.1).  The committee will also hear, investigate and rule on complaints received relevant to elections that it may be conducting.

As per PIPSC By-Law 22.1, Date of Election/Commencement of Office: “Commencing in 2015, there shall be an election of Officers and Directors of the Institute every three (3) years”.  The next scheduled National Elections will be held in 2018.

An exception to the ‘every three years’ schedule could occur.  For example: if a position on the Board of Directors becomes vacant, then a ‘special’ election may be required depending on the length of time between when the vacancy occurs and the next scheduled election.  The Elections Committee would refer to the PIPSC By-Laws to determine if a special election is required.

The Elections Committee was requested to conduct elections for the SUN-RT and AFS Groups.  The AFS Group Executive elections were successfully run and, at the time of the 2017 AGM, the SUN-RT Group Executive elections are underway.

The Elections Committee met and developed a 2017 work plan to:

  • Add to the Elections Committee Web Pages
  • Review of the ‘National Elections Activities’
  • Review the three options to ‘Enhance Voter Turn-Out’
  • Review the possible use of ‘Progressive Discipline’ for elections
  • Update By-Law 17.3.2.1: ‘Running Constituent Body Elections’
  • Review the viability of ‘National Elections’ candidates using short ‘video’ submissions instead of written ‘biographies
  • Prepare for the 2018 National Elections

Your National Elections Committee is always looking for innovative ideas to increase member participation in National elections.  We are interested in identifying the barriers to participation.  Our goal is to increase voter turnout.  If you have thoughts, ideas, suggestions as to what the barriers are and/or how we might be able to increase voter participation then we want to hear from you.  Please email the National Elections Committee: elect_cmt@pipsc.ca. (note the ‘underscore’ between ‘elect’ and ‘cmt’).

The 2017 Elections Committee: Gordon Hiltz, Linda Joly, Jean Laberge, Christine Lemay, James McMillan (Chair), Stephan Moushian and Patrick Provost.  Staff resources are Jo-Ann Foster and Eddie Gillis (COO & Executive Secretary).

If you have the time and are interested, then please consider putting your name forward to join the committee when the call for volunteers is published late in 2017.

Respectfully submitted,

Jim McMillan
Chair, Elections Committee