2007 PSAC NATIONAL ACCESS CONFERENCE:

“TRANSFORMING OUR WORLD: MOVING FORWARD”

• CONFERENCE OBJECTIVES
• PARTICIPANTS
• CALL FOR RESOLUTIONS
• INSTRUCTIONS FOR NOMINATION FORM

We are pleased to be sending you this Registration package for the 2007 PSAC National Access Conference, which will be held September 7 to 9, 2007 at the Westin Ottawa Hotel in Ottawa under the theme “Transforming Our World:  Moving Forward”.

We encourage you to personally inform your members with disabilities in order to ensure they are made aware of this conference as bulletin boards may not always be accessible and additional outreach will be critical for persons with disabilities.

CONFERENCE OBJECTIVES

The objectives of the 2007 PSAC National Access Conference are:

• To defend quality public services for persons with disabilities
• To empower and engage persons with disabilities to take action and move the disability agenda forward
• To better connect and to include persons with disabilities in our communities, our workplaces and our union
• To lobby in order to transform and to advance the disability rights agenda
• To provide tools to advocate for disability rights in our communities, our workplaces and our union.

PARTICIPANTS

1. Delegates

A PSAC member who is a member in good standing and who self-identifies as a member with a disability can apply to be a delegate to this Conference.  The selection of delegates will take into account union and disability rights activism, as well as representation criteria (i.e., Region, Component, language, gender and other equity group representation).

Delegates will be selected by their respective Regions and Component.  The delegates will be entitled to full voice and vote during the conference, including the resolutions and elections processes.  As well, the delegates will fully participate in one workshop.

Funding for Delegates:

Delegate costs to the 2007 PSAC National Access Conference will be fully covered as per the decision of the 2003 PSAC Triennial Convention and of the PSAC Travel Directive.   Costs covered are as follows:

• travel costs, including ground transportation;
• hotel accommodation costs at the Westin Ottawa Hotel;
• loss of salary;
• per diem for meals;
• incidental costs.

2. Observers

PSAC members in good standing and who also identify as being a member with a disability may also apply to attend the Conference as observers; however, observers will be responsible for all costs associated with their participation, including:

• loss of salary and meals
• hotel and travel arrangements
• conference registration fee of $150.00
• additional accessibility needs and childcare arrangements.

Please note that the number of observers will be limited to the space available at the Conference. They will have voice only during the discussion period after the panel presentations.  Observers may attend workshops.  Observers do not have the right to vote during the resolutions debate and the election process.

3. Guests

Members of the PSAC National Board of Directors are eligible to attend the Conference as guests.

SELECTION OF DELEGATES AND OBSERVERS

If you are selected as a delegate to this conference, you will be advised by email and/or telephone by the end of June 2007. Observer will be advise at a later date.

For further information or assistance:

• Call (613) 560-5457.  Leave a message and someone will get back to you within 24 working hours.
• You may also contact Seema Lamba, the PSAC National Human Rights Program Officer by email at lambas@psac.com or Sue Courchaine, PSAC Conference Administrative Assistant by email at courchs@psac.com.
• The fax number is (613) 236-9402.

We look forward to the upcoming 2007 PSAC National Access Conference and see it as an opportunity for our members to continue the important work of advancing the human rights agenda.

Please consult the PSAC website (www.psac-afpc.com) periodically as background conference material will be posted as soon as it becomes available.

Thank you for your cooperation and support.
In Solidarity,

cc:
National Board of Directors
Component National Officers and Head Offices
Regional Offices
Area Councils
Equal Opportunities Committee (EOC)
National Aboriginal, Inuit and Métis Circle (NAIM)
Equity Mailing Lists
Equity Committees
Regional Committees
Regional Council Members
PSAC Management Team