To all UVAE Members
I am writing to all UVAE Members to encourage you to register for one of the Listening Sessions noted below which is being put on by VAC’s Diversity, Equity and Anti-Racism Task Force. Let’s all work together to create a more inclusive and racism-free workplace. This will take all members working together to help effect the changes that are needed within VAC. I have copied below the email that was sent on the VAC email system on February 22, 2022, by your Diversity, Equity and Anti-Racism Task Force. Please register and be part of the change needed.
VAC’s Diversity, Equity and Anti-Racism Task Force wants to thank everyone who attended our February 9th meet and-greet and shared their valuable feedback with us. We are committed to listening, engaging and involving equity-deserving employees, in keeping with the Clerk’s Call to Action, and we look forward to continuing the conversation.
We are now inviting people from the Black, Indigenous, Racialized, Persons with Disabilities and LGBTQ2+ communities, to register for one of our upcoming listening sessions. Our goal is to provide a safe and supportive environment for you to share your lived experience so that we can address issues of racism, discrimination and inequity in our workplace. Your feedback will be critical in helping us develop recommendations for the Deputy Minister.
Sessions will run between March 1 and April 7, 2022. The first group of session are as follows:
Black employees : March 1 at 11:00 am AST (French) and 2:00 pm AST (English)
• Racialized employees : March 3 at 11:00 am AST (French) and 2:00 pm AST (English)
• Indigenous employees : March 8 at 11:00 am AST (French) and 2:00 pm AST (English)
• Intersectional session : March 10 at 11:00 am AST (French) and 2:00 pm AST (English)
• Persons with Disabilities: March 29 at 11:00 am AST (French) and 2:00 pm AST (English)
• LGBTQ2+ community: March 31 at 11:00 am AST (French) and 2:00 pm AST (English)
Format and participation:
• Each session will last two hours with 10-15 participants. If you identify with more than one group, you can attend an intersectional session. To register, reply to this email by February 28 indicating which session you would like to participate in.
• If you don’t wish to give feedback in a group setting, we can meet with you separately or you can reply to this email with written feedback.
• Your participation, and any information you provide will be kept confidential.
We understand this topic and these conversations can be challenging. Support is available at any time through the Employee Assistance Program, a free and confidential service.
We really look forward to your participation and input.
Sincerely,
Diversity, Equity, and Anti-Racism Task Force Members
Narinder Dhillon
Junli Feng
Quentrel Provo
Liza Jamani
Sincerely,
Virginia Vaillancourt
National President
613-560-5460