On Wednesday, June 17th, National President David Neufeld met with Member of Parliament Grant Jackson at his office on Parliament Hill, providing an important opportunity to highlight the essential work performed by members of the Union of Safety and Justice Employees (USJE) and discuss key issues affecting them.
During their meeting, President Neufeld outlined the breadth and depth of USJE’s membership, emphasizing the crucial role members play in supporting Canada’s public safety network. He explained that USJE members make indispensable public safety contributions across 17 different departments and agencies.
MP Jackson expressed his appreciation for learning more about the scope of USJE’s work and the people USJE represents. He acknowledged the importance of these roles and voiced particular concern about the safety conditions faced by employees working in RCMP detachments and other facilities. Demonstrating a commitment to better understand these challenges firsthand, MP Jackson shared his hopes to visit local detachments in the near future.
The conversation also touched key advocacy priorities. President Neufeld highlighted USJE’s Presumptive Injury Campaign and the union’s proposed legislative changes to the Government Employees Compensation Act (GECA), aimed at better supporting members affected by workplace injuries.
In addition, President Neufeld spoke about USJE’s latest podcast episode, released last week, which features a discussion between him and the Correctional Service of Canada Commissioner Talal Dakalbab on a range of topics impacting the CSC. MP Jackson showed interest in the conversation, and noted his own connections with provincial correctional services, recognizing the critical work performed and its importance at both the provincial and federal levels.
Concerns related to the Comprehensive Expenditure Review were also raised, including anticipated cuts in the area of correctional programs.
To further inform the discussion, President Neufeld shared an executive summary of the Correctional Program Officer Report, authored by Dr. Rose Ricciardelli, a leading expert in the field of public safety personnel research. The discussion concluded with MP Jackson accepting an invitation from President Neufeld to participate in a future site visit and gain deeper insight into the contributions of USJE members.
President Neufeld wishes to thank MP Jackson for his time, interest, and willingness to continue engaging on issues important to public safety.