We Are Teachers

in Quebec’s English public education system

We All Come Together

To protect our individual rights and to work towards the collective good of all teachers across the province, and also to ensure student learning conditions and quality public education in Quebec.

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Membership Strong

We are members of both one of the most important professions and of Canada’s oldest union, the Quebec Provincial Association of Teachers. QPAT aims to provide teachers with some of the practical pedagogical and professional knowledge we need as we carry out our work.

Our Structure

The Centrale des syndicats du Québec (CSQ) represents teachers, health sector workers and daycare workers, among other groups, and defends equal rights and solidarity to help ensure a fair and democratic society.

The Canadian Teachers’ Federation (CTF) is a national alliance of provincial and territorial teacher organizations across Canada. CTF works with federal departments and organizations whose work affects education, children and youth.

The Fédération des syndicats de l’enseignement (FSE) is made up of 35 Francophone local unions across Quebec and is affiliated and adheres to the CSQ’s mission.

Education International is the largest global union federation. It represents and unites all education workers in every corner of the globe. Work includes combating racism and discrimination and fostering good relations between education workers in all countries.

The President shall:

Preside at meetings of the Executive Committee;
Act as spokesperson of the Association;
Be the chief executive responsible for implementing the policy of the Association;
Be the general co-ordinator of the secretariat; and
Be ex-officio a member of each standing committee, with the exception of the Nominations and Discipline Committees.

The General Chairperson shall:

The Secretary shall:

The Treasurer shall:

Act as Chairperson of the Finance and Budget Committee;
Act as custodian of the funds and books of the Association;
Oversee the expenditure of the same in accordance with the votes of the Provincial Council, or the Board of Directors;
Cause to be deposited all funds of the Association in the name of the Association, in a financial institution approved by the Board of Directors;
Make all payments by cheque signed by the Treasurer and the President, or persons named by the Board of Directors for this duty;
Prepare, or cause to be prepared annually, or as often as may be required by the Board of Directors, a financial abstract; and
Present the Treasurer’s statement at the first session of the Annual General Meeting of the Provincial Council.

QPAT Staff

Board of Directors Roles

Voting Members

The Board of Directors shall consist of:

The officers, including the General Chairperson, who shall, however, vote only in the case of a tied vote;
Representatives of active members of the association according to the following criteria:
- Each active member shall be represented on the Board of Directors by one representative for the first 300, or fraction thereof, of its teachers covered by the bargaining certificate(s);
- Every active member with more than 300 teachers covered by the bargaining certificate(s) shall be entitled to one additional representative for each additional 300, or major fraction thereof, of its teachers covered by the bargaining certificate(s); for purposes of this article, the computation of the teachers covered by the bargaining certificate(s) of the active member shall be made as of October 31st of the year preceding the year for which the nominations are being made.

Consultative Members

Persons employed by the Association or its active members;
Chairpersons of the standing committees of the Association.

Duties

The duties of the Board of Directors shall be:

To meet for the dispatch of business at least once a month between September and May inclusive, and at any other times if deemed necessary by the Executive Committee;
To consider all matters placed on the agenda by the Executive Committee for such meetings and to take such action on each item as the Board of Directors may consider wise;
To consider all matters submitted by Directors, if written notice of motion has been given to the President at least four days prior to the meeting of the Board of Directors, and to take such action on these matters as the Board of Directors may consider wise;
To consider matters introduced by a member of the Board of Directors only if, in the opinion of the Chair, such matters are sufficiently urgent to justify the waiving of the need for prior notice. The Chair’s ruling on the urgency of these matters shall be subject to appeal to the meeting. A simple majority vote of those present and voting shall be required to reverse the Chair’s ruling;
To appoint such committees as are necessary for the functioning of the Association and to further its objectives;
To appoint a Discipline Committee in the manner provided for in Article 1.05;
To have in charge the general interests of the association in the intervals between annual general meetings of the Provincial Council;
To convene meetings of the Provincial Council on the recommendation of the Executive Committee, and to approve the agenda for such meetings, as drawn up by the Executive Committee;
To ratify the appointment by the Executive Committee of the staff of the Association;
To establish the policy governing all Association publications;
To see that those entrusted with the property and funds of the Association are adequately bonded with a guarantee company;
To appoint the auditors of the Association and see that the books of the Secretary-Treasurer are audited each year, or as often as required during the year;
To report on its activities to the Provincial Council at its annual general meeting; and
To determine from time to time the location of the head office of the Association.

Financial Powers

The Board of Directors shall have the right:

To borrow money in the name of the Association and to limit the amount to be borrowed;
To issue bonds, debenture stock, debentures, notes and other negotiable securities in the name of the Association;
To sell, pledge, exchange or dispose of such bonds, debentures, debenture stock, notes and other negotiable securities at such prices, and under such conditions, as may be deemed the most expedient; and
To grant, bargain, sell, alienate, convey, confirm, assign, hypothecate, mortgage, pledge or charge, and cede and transfer all or any of the real and moveable, freehold and leasehold, undertaking and business and other property, assets and tights of the Association, including uncalled capital, both present and future of whatsoever kind and wheresoever situate, to secure any such bonds, debentures, debenture stock, notes and other negotiable securities of any money borrowed or any other liability of the Association.

QPAT Committees

Adult Education Committee

To provide a forum for exchange of information and discussion;
To act as an advisory committee to the Executive Committee and Board of Directors on all matters relating to adult education in the collective agreement;
To act as an advisory committee to the Executive Committee and Board of Directors on all other matters relating to the adult education sector.

Finance & Budget Committee (Standing Committee)

To meet when convened;
To deliberate upon such matters as it has been appointed to consider;
To report to the Board of Directors;
To report on its activities to the Provincial Council at the Annual General Meeting and as required by the Board of Directors.

Human Rights & Social Justice Committee

To review research studies and other material in order to identify key issues and concerns with regards to human rights and social justice;
To develop recommendations to the Executive Committee and the Board of Directors to implement specific actions to address the following issues:
- Discrimination
- Harassment
- Health
- Poverty
- Violence
- Other human rights and social justice issues
To make recommendations to the Board of Directors regarding spending.

Membership Plans Committee

To give advice regarding negotiations;
To scrutinize reports of the operations of QPAT group insurance plans;
To monitor pension plans;
To review all insurance plans.

New Teacher Committee

To produce appropriate information for beginning teachers.
To work with local teacher unions to develop and support local unions teacher induction activities (including both professional/career issues and union involvement).

Nominations Committee

To ensure that, no later than February 14^th of each election year, there is sent to each place where there are members in good standing of local union of the Association, a request for nominations, specifying the posts for which elections are necessary, the qualifications for such posts, and such further information regarding election procedures as the Nominations Committee deems relevant;
To receive nominations for elective Executive offices, each nomination to be signed by at least fifteen (15) members in good standing drawn from at least two (2) local unions of the Association, accompanied by the curriculum vitae of the nominee and his or her consent in writing, and to be submitted to the Nominations Committee within twenty-one (21) calendar days of the call for nominations being issued, on which date nominations shall cease;
To examine all nominations and determine their authenticity;
To publicize nominations received to the membership of the Association by inserting the name, the picture and the curriculum vitae of each nominee in the Association’s Newspaper(s) or Newsletter(s), ensuring that all candidates be given equal publicity;
To report all nominations to the Board of Directors at its first meeting after the close of nominations;
To ensure that ballots are distributed to all members in good standing of the local unions of the Association;
To make provision for by-elections, when necessary.

Vocational Education Committee

To provide a forum for exchange of information and discussion;
To act as an advisory committee to the Executive Committee and Board of Directors on all matters relating to vocational education in the collective agreement;
To act as an advisory committee to the Executive Committee and Board of Directors on all other matters relating to the vocational education sector.

Need additional help?

You may contact QPAT via email at any time. However, your local union represents you on behalf of the provincial Association. Your local union is the first place to call for more Information

We Are Teachers

We All Come Together

Our Structure

Heidi Yetman

The President shall:

Steven Le Sueur

The General Chairperson shall:

Brian Smeltzer

The Secretary shall:

Nick Ross

The Treasurer shall:

Matt Wilson

Megan Seline

QPAT Staff

Sébastien Joly

François Breault

Nancy Champagne

Mike Di Raddo

Jean-Paul Fossey

Stephanie McLellan

Julie Montpetit

Daniel Notardonato

Anne-Marie Rheubottom