OPSEU Local 218

February 23rd Zoom meeting details have been sent to members via email. If you did not receive an email, please contact [email protected] to be added to our mailing list.

Save the date: Wednesday February 23rd at 6:00pm by Zoom. Meeting details to follow via email 😃

Sending out all of our best for health, happiness, friendship, family and love to each of you for 2022. 2021 brought all of us many challenges to provide care to individuals in need of mental health and addictions support. 2021 also provided opportunity for growth, to support one another in difficult times and to advocate collectively for our needs as frontline Mental healthcare providers. Thank you to each of you for all that you endured throughout 2021 to make a difference in the lives of those needing our support in the most difficult life moments. Happy new year to you, let's take on 2022 together and continue to make a difference in our communities 💙

National Day of Remembrance and Action on Violence against Women 2021 December 6 is the National Day of Remembrance and Action on Violence against Women. On this day in 1989, 14 young women were killed by a lone gunman at École Polytechnique in Montreal. This was a blatant act of femicide that changed the discussion around violence against women in Canada. It resulte...

Woman Abuse Prevention Month 2021: Why we must fight for gender-equality November is Woman Abuse Prevention Month in Ontario; an important opportunity to shine light on the gender-based violence committed against women and to look at what we can all do to address gender inequality so that women can live safely. Gender-based violence against women and girls in Canada has....

Women’s History Month: October 2021 October is Women’s History Month, which includes the International Day of the Girl Child on October 11 and Persons Day on October 18. This month is dedicated to championing the rights of women and girls around the world, including freedom from violence and abuse as well as equal opportunities in a...

Today is an important day to spend some time furthering our knowledge, reflecting and acknowledging the harms and mistakes of the past done to Indigenous proples of all the lands we are on today. To consider how each of us in our own way can move forward together with truth, reconciliation and collaboration. 🧡

The First National Day for Truth and Reconciliation: A step forward September 30 marks the first National Day for Truth and Reconciliation across Canada; a day to reflect on the colonial and genocidal legacy of residential schools, and to commit to reconciliation. Parliament passed legislation earlier this year to mark this day as a federal statutory holiday; one of...

Commemorating Emancipation Day: August 1, 2021 August 1 is Emancipation Day in Canada, which commemorates the day when slavery was abolished across the British Empire. Earlier this year, the House of Commons voted unanimously to designate this as a federal day in Canada. Senator Wanda Thomas of Nova Scotia first introduced Bill S255 in the Senat...

Grave reckoning this Indigenous Month and Indigenous Peoples Day June is National Indigenous History Month and June 21 is National Indigenous Peoples Day. The latter was established 25 years ago as a day to reflect, acknowledge and recognize the First Peoples across the ancestral and unceded territories of Turtle Island. As we all know, they were the original car...

OPSEU/SEFPO stands in solidarity with the Muslim community in their calls for justice The senseless attack on a Muslim family in London this week must be a loud wake up call for Canadians that Islamophobia is a serious and urgent problem that we must confront now. We are sickened and shocked that one evil person would run down and kill Salman Afzaal and his wife Madiha Salman, their....

OPSEU/SEFPO commemorates Ontario Injured Workers’ Day At OPSEU/SEFPO we are proud to stand in solidarity with our labour and community allies to commemorate Ontario Injured Workers’ Day. Each year on June 1st we pay tribute to injured workers and their families as we renew our commitment to fight for safer workplaces. It’s an important time to cele...

Happy Pride Month June is Pride month to the TLGBTIAPQQ2S+ (Trans, Le***an, Gay, Bisexual, Tr*******al, Intersex, Asexual, Pansexual, Q***r, Questioning, 2-Spirited) community and their allies. Pride is a reaffirmation that discrimination based on one’s sexual orientation, gender identity and gender expression will...

Justice for 215 Indigenous children and all survivors of residential schools We extend our solidarity and condolences during this devastating time to the First Nations community in Tk’emlúpste te Secwépemc territory and across this land. We are shocked and saddened by the reports of the discovery of the remains of 215 children, some young as three, at the Kamloops Indian...

To those celebrating Eid al-Fitr: Eid Mubarak! The joyous festival of Eid al-Fitr begins for Muslims in Ontario and around the world at sundown on Wednesday, May 12. The festival marks the end of Ramadan and its month of sunrise-to-sunset fasts. Ramadan encourages people to be more deeply caring by sacrificing some of their own comfort to better...

Sexual Assault Prevention Month 2021: It’s time to end the crisis of sexual assault May is Sexual Assault Prevention Month in Ontario. Formerly referred to as Sexual Assault Awareness Month, the name was changed in recent years to signify that awareness alone is not enough; to effectively support sexual assault survivors, action is key. The sexual assault crisis is one that existed...

Check out the latest podcast episode of OPSEU/SEFPO Talk featuring President Warren "Smokey" Thomas and Unifor National President Jerry Dias as they discuss the importance of supporting local and Canadian businesses on the road to economic recovery.

https://opseutalk.org/episode/supporting-local-and-canadian-businesses-on-the-road-to-economic-recovery/

OPSEU/SEFPO commits to end racism, today and every day Sunday, March 21 is the International Day for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination, an opportunity to acknowledge the existence of racism in our society, highlight the damaging consequences of it, and commit to putting an end to all racial inequities. The United Nations established this day in m...

March 11 marks National Day of Observance for COVID-19 The federal government has declared Thursday, March 11 as a National Day of Observance to remember the people who have lost their lives due to COVID-19 and to recognize the significant impact that COVID-19 has had on all Canadians. OPSEU/SEFPO stands in solidarity with the families who have lost lov...

Thomas: Time to put confrontation aside as we emerge from the pandemic The following Op-Ed by OPSEU/SEFPO President Warren (Smokey) Thomas was published today in the Toronto Sun. Thomas: Time to put confrontation aside as we emerge from the pandemic “Come with open minds and open hearts because nobody has the market cornered on good ideas,” says Warren One thing I....

International Holocaust Remembrance Day: we must never forget, we must never repeat Each year, the United Nations marks January 27 as International Holocaust Remembrance Day – an important time for us all to pause and pay tribute to the victims of the Holocaust. It’s also an opportunity for all progressive individuals and organizations to reaffirm our commitment to oppose antis...

Honoring the legacy of Lincoln Alexander On Thursday, January 21, we celebrate Lincoln Alexander Day. It’s a chance to not only honor the life of Lincoln MacCauley Alexander and his unforgettable contributions, but also to reflect on and embrace the values he stood for. Born on January 21, 1922 in Toronto to parents who had immigrated fr...

Making the best of bad times to prepare for better times ahead It’s coming soon: the day we can all be together again – with our extended families, our friends and the members of our OPSEU/SEFPO family too. I’m looking forward to it, and I’m sure you feel the same way. The pandemic has made it a brutal year, but there is hope on the horizon. The…

Return to Work and Mental Health Webinar: Intro & Legal Underpinnings of Interventions and Practices Webinar: Return to Work and Mental Health Date and time: August 27th, 2020 from 2-4 pm EDTDescription: When returning to work, what are some of the ‘invisibl...

Have a safe and Happy Holidays Everyone!!!
Thinking about all our Sisters, Brothers, Family and Friends that are working throughout the Holidays, keeping us safe, healthy and keeping our great Province moving forward. Thank you for all that you do, you are appreciated, and you are respected!
Eternally grateful and forever in solidarity,
Your Mental Health & Addictions Division Executive

This holiday season, give yourself the gift of rest – and of hope for a new, brighter year Friends, As we approach the end of an extremely challenging year, we want to say thank you to all of our hardworking members for your courageous dedication to the people of Ontario. Many of you took, and continue to take, huge risks serving on the front lines of this pandemic. You deserve all the re...

Louis Riel Day: Honouring a legacy and continuing the fight for Métis rights Monday, November 16 is Louis Riel day, an opportunity for OPSEU/SEFPO members to honour the legacy of a man who died fighting for Métis rights. On this day in 1885, Louis Riel was executed for leading the Northwest Resistance in defence of Métis rights. Ceremonies are held each year to honour his ...

Lest We Forget: Canadians have marked Remembrance Day since the Great War ended on November 11, 1918. From coast to coast to coast, we gather to recognize the sacrifices Canadian troops have made in wars, conflicts and peace-keeping missions around the world for more than a century.
The sacrifices our women and men in uniform have made are a big reason that Canada has such an impressive global image. They’ve freed people from tyranny, kept the peace amidst civil strife and delivered relief in the aftermath of disasters.
Because of the COVID-19 pandemic, this year’s commemoration will be different. Organizers of Remembrance Day events are holding smaller events and avoiding crowds of people standing shoulder-to-shoulder. Many of us will decide it’s wiser to remember our fallen heroes from home or the workplace. https://bit.ly/36lrecM

In Ontario, November is Month. This month, we shine a spotlight on in our country and around the world and recommit to preventing these crimes.https://bit.ly/3l4L3v7
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The CLC in partnership with Western University are conducting a national survey on workplace violence and harassment.

We encourage all OPSEU/SEFPO members to fill it out – whether or not you have experienced or witnessed workplace violence or harassment – to contribute to a clearer picture of workers’ experiences across Canada.

Learn more: https://opseu.org/news/national-survey-on-harassment-and-violence-at-work-in-canada/111263/

It’s time to prepare for the road ahead First of all, I’m hoping all of you in our OPSEU family are able to take some well-deserved time off to relax and enjoy the long days and warm temperatures with your family and friends.   This may be the eye of the storm in what has been an unprecedented year so far, unlike anything…

Slavery in Canada existed and systemic racism against Black people in this country remains August 1 is Emancipation Day in Ontario – a day that commemorates the 1834 abolition of the Slavery Act throughout the British Empire that freed hundreds of thousands of people of African descent. It’s a day for remembering the past and celebrating a shift in the Commonwealth’s mindset towards...

OPSEU – inSol wants to hear from you! The OPSEU inSolidarity Committee would love to showcase your work.   We are currently accepting any written work from OPSEU members!  You can submit an article with or without a photo on any topic you feel is relevant to you, your workplace or the labour movement.  All articles will be considere...

Anti-Black Racism On-line Teletown Hall: July 7 For OPSEU Staff And Members Anti-Black racism is not new. The brutality of current events, heightened by social media’s incredible power to share and motivate, has shifted the world into action. Systemic racism is deadly real. It is deeply rooted in a painful history that has disproportionately af...

We must end this struggle together Being Black in Canada is a constant struggle. I don’t say this from experience. I say this because of the unspeakably brutal images and news reports we’re seeing every day. And I say this because I’ve always tried my best to be an active listener – and I believe first-person stories and acco...

Did you know? The practice of referring to each other as "Brother" and "Sister" originated in the 19th century. At the time, unions were illegal in Canada and the gathering of workers was prohibited by law. As this did not apply to family members, workers referred to each other as "Brother" and "Sister" to avoid arrest and protect anonymity.

Hello and welcome Brothers and Sisters!