October 24, 2023 @ 6:30 pm – via Zoom/Teleconference
Membership in Attendance
Dawn Montgrant (President), Shaina Ledoux (Treasurer), Marissa Buote (UNE 40195), Rachelle Deault (CEIU 40803), Trina Magis (UNE 40195), Kelsey Dreaver (UHEW 40027), Erin Driedger (40059), Dustin (Dusty) Guedo (UNE 40107) and Ryan Lipski (UNE 40195).
Jacqueline Maurice (PSAC Rep)
1. Call to Order – 6:32 pm by Dawn
2. Treaty Acknowledgement – by Dawn
Jackie provided some information at the last meeting via this website: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MvRSqqNs1rQ on how to do the land acknowledgement. We’d like to rotate the land acknowledgement in future meetings so if you’d like to volunteer to go next, please let us know.
3. Statement of Harassment
Jacqueline was identified as the Harassment Complaint Co-ordinator for this meeting.
4. Adoption of Agenda – Motion to approve by Rachelle, seconded by Shaina, motion carried.
5. Review of Previous Minutes – September 12, 2023 – Motion to approve by Shaina, seconded by Erin, motion carried.
6. Elections (Secretary)
We need to fill the position of secretary for the council. If anyone is interested, please let us know. This will be a standing item on the agenda until the position is filled.
7. Treasures Report/Financial Statement
Bank balance is $440.90. We couldn’t confirm we received approval for the PA Pride so we will defer this until next calendar year and ensure we put it on the budget. Appendix B and Appendix D were provided to the Conexus Credit Union and signatories have all gone to the bank and signed the paperwork. There was a requirement for a former member of the executive to also sign the new paperwork, Joyce agreed to do this. Jacqueline asked for our contact person at the Credit Union to call and discuss why we need a former member of the executive to sign as this is a deterrent for our council to get the bank account in order when there’s a complete changeover which is what happened this year.
We had $100, but spent $40, to prepare materials for distribution to the locals in our area for September 30th is the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation. There’s still some inventory so if you’d like us to drop off/mail some decals to your local, please let us know. Thank you to Shaina for leading this project.
In our budget our next activity is to lay a wreath in honour of Remembrance Day. Shaina made arrangements with the Prince Albert Legion to have a wreath displayed at the Prince Albert Armouries building for the duration of the Legion’s ceremony. Funds collected through this campaign and the poppy campaign, are used to assist those Canadian and Commonwealth Service Personnel and their families when they are in need. This past year the Legion used the funds to support: Veterans Programs and Assistance, Remembrance Day School poster contests, Veteran Emergency Help, bursaries for our High Schools. Funds are also used for the new Veterans Memorial erected in City Hall Park for veterans of the Afghan and Korean Wars along with recognition of our Peacekeepers, Women, and Indigenous Veterans. We had budgeted $100 but were able to increase this with approval from the REVP’s office to $150.
Treasurer’s report moved by Shaina and seconded by Kelsey, motion carried.
8. Discussion
We are planning to do an “Open House” event with all the locals in attendance (either in person or a hybrid meeting). In a recent training session for local officer’s on committees, part of the outcome was to have an event planned for Prince Albert. Kelsey and Shaina attended the session and reported that it’s still in the planning stage. We were really hoping to do this in December so we could get all the locals together as we haven’t been face to face since really before covid unless you count our time together during the strike. We will continue to plan this event with the suggestion to avoid December and perhaps host this in January.
We will keep brainstorming about ideas and bring them to future meetings.
9. Nomination of Area Council Delegate/Alternates for PSAC National Triennial Convention – May 2024
We had a discussion on who should attend as a delegate and the consensus is that where possible, the executive would attend and we’d have a robust list of alternates from the council in the event the delegate isn’t able to attend.
Dawn was nominated to the position of delegate by Rachelle and seconded by Trina. Dawn was acclaimed as our delegate.
Shaina was nominated to the position of 1st alternate by Dawn, seconded by Rachelle. Shaina was acclaimed as our 1st delegate.
Marissa was nominated to the position of 2nd alternate by Dawn, seconded by Rachelle. Shaina was acclaimed as our 2nd alternate.
Erin was nominated to the position of 3rd alternate by Dawn, seconded by Rachelle. Erin was acclaimed as our 3rd alternate.
Ryan was nominated to the position of 4th alternate by Dawn, seconded by Rachelle. Ryan was acclaimed as our 4th alternate.
10. New Business
Jacqueline shared that the education calendar has many training events for our activists. We’ve had a busy fall thus far with education. The upcoming training can be viewed here: Courses – PSAC Prairies.
11. Round Table
Rochelle shared her AGM is re-scheduled for January as they could not get quorum at the previous attempts even with paying mileage and meals. There will be elections for President and VP.
Erin shared her AGM is scheduled for December 9.
Dusty shared that they are entering the season where the seasonal employees are finished for the year. They will have their AGM in the spring when the seasonal employees return to work and they have the highest number of members.
Kelsey shared her local will have their AGM in November.
Dawn shared that their AGM is usually in March but the office will have a General Membership meeting in December.
Dawn shared that on October 16, 2023 all locals, strike captains and picket captains attended a debriefing meeting from 5-8pm. This was an opportunity to share tips, tricks, issues and best practices for the next time we could be in a strike position. A big thank you to Jacqueline and Louise for their long hours and dedication to working with the members before, during and after the strike. We appreciate you!
12. Schedule Next Meeting – December 12, 2023, at 6:30 p.m. This will be our AGM.
13.Adjournment – 7:17 p.m. Motion to adjourn by Shaina