PSAC Edmonton Area Council Meeting

January 8, 2003

Attendance:
Louise Patrick, SSO
Elaine Haase, UNDE
Mary Veilleux, UNDE
Irene Berube, RVP ENV
Martine Mongeon, GSU
Raymonde Groulx-Lefebvre, ENV
Jo Chelick, UTE
Maria Fitzpatrick, USGE
Barbara Ward, UTE

Approval of agenda

Approval of minutes for December 17, 2002

Old Business

EDLC May Day Committee - still no volunteers to represent PSAC at meetings.

CLC Medicare Campaign - no firm plan of action in place to date due to holiday season. Suggestion has been to approach Prairie Council for Political Action funding to possible train some trainers, who in turn could train canvassers.   Will also give brief presentation at the Education Planning session on January 9th where there will be a diverse membership present

Bylaws Committee has not met since last meeting.

Correspondence

1.    Holiday Greetings card from REVP Robyn Benson
2.    United Way information - discussion re the Jim Shewchk Award - deadline for nominations April 1, 2003 . To be discussed further at next meeting re having Area Council representation at the Labour
Appreciation Dinner Night on May 24, 2003 to be held at the Crowne Plaza Chateau Lacome Hotel.
3.    PSAC Review of the Federal Employment Equity Act - information shared & discussed on what is happening in various departments concerning equity audits held.
4.    PSAC-TBS Joint Learning Program - discussion on Treasury Board departments should be approaching their management to have the training provided that had been negotiated in the last contract. Both
Sisters Maria Fitzpatrick & Mary Veilleux have taken the training to facilitate the training with management.

New Business
1. Parkland Institute - emails received pertaining to speakers

a) Saturday January 11, 2003 1:00 - 4:30 P.M. 1-09 Business Building, University of Alberta.  Speakers:  Dr Randall D Germain, University of Wales, Dr Satoshi Ikeda, University of Alberta.
Discussion of how the processes of globalization are and should be governed. First of five roundtables to provide input into Canada 's foreign policy. The second discussion on "Inequality as a Source of
International Unrest" will be held February 1.  Further details on the series can be obtained from the International Cerntre 492-5962
b) University of Alberta, Department of Political Science SPEAKERS SERIES presents Mel Hurtig, Friday, January 10th 3:30 P.M. in Business Building 1-5 University of Alberta.  He is the Founder of the Council
of Canadians and the Canadian Encyclopedia.  His talk is titled "The Vanishing Country: Is it too late to save Canada ?".  For more information call 492-3429 Sharon Moroschan Department of Political Science.

2. Sister Louise Patrick provided some information pertaining to genetically modified organisms. The 2002 copy of the Catalogue of Publications by Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives will be left at the
Regional office for members to browse. Their web site for info: www.policyalternatives.ca
    Some other sites:   www.saskorganic.com
                                   www.canadians.org
                                   www.cspi.org/
                                   www.healthcoalition.ca
                                   www.sierraclub.ca/national/genetic/index.html
                                   www.greenpeacecanada.org/e/home.html
                                   www.policyalternatives.ca

REPORTS

1.     Financial report provided

2.    Components:

SSO - 2nd set of conciliation meetings happening in January. The first round of meetings dealt with non monetary issues, but wages to be dealt with at the upcoming meeting. More info on National PSAC
web site: www.psac.com

UNDE - name referrals happening in their departments without competitive processes They have been advised this is a Treasury Board initiative.

ENV - it is expected that Minister David Anderson will be announcing weather station closures which will affect members losing jobs &/or having to relocate.

3.     Prairie Council - next meeting in February

4.     AFL Committees - next meeting for Health & Safety January 17th

5.     Edmonton District Labour Council
        a)    Edmonton District Labour Council Annual School -

               February 28 - March 2, 2003 Eastglen School Edmonton, AB.
        b)    Next meeting for January 20, 2003 Carpenters Hall
        c)    Wall of Fame nominees deadline January 9, 2003

Adjournment moved by Irene Berube - 2nd by Elaine Haase.

Next meeting:  Wednesday, February 12, 2003 @ 5:15 P.M.

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