DAN OLDFIELD, candidate for President
I am seeking the office of the President of the CBC Pensioners National Association because I believe the time is right. The PNA is at an important stage of its development. We must improve the way we communicate internally and externally. We need to grow the Association in order to have the strongest possible voice and resources to meet the ever-increasing challenges that we will face. We have to continue to work hard at establishing meaningful alliances in order to protect the interests of PNA members.
I joined the national Board of the PNA in 2017 as the representative on the Consultative Committee on Staff Benefits, the national committee at CBC that oversees employee and retiree pensions and benefits. Before taking on the role with the PNA I had served on the committee both as a CBC employee and as the Senior Staff Representative and lead negotiator for the Canadian Media Guild, a position I held for nearly 25 years.
During my time with the Guild, I negotiated several collective agreements with the CBC as well as a number of other media organizations. I was the lead negotiator in achieving the Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) on the sharing of pension surplus. Currently I serve as the point person for the PNA in making sure all pensioners receive their fair share of surpluses agreed to under the terms of the MOA.
My career at the CBC began in October of 1973 in national radio news. After a two-year stint in the Yukon (’76 to ’78), I took on the role of a Legislative Reporter in Saskatchewan. I left to join the Guild staff. Fortunately, I was able to remain in the pension plan as an employee on union leave. I retired from the Guild in December of 2014. Since then, I have worked with my partner (both in work and life) Barbara Saxberg to provide training and facilitation to both management and union groups in the areas of leadership, relationship building, negotiation, conflict resolution and strategic planning. I believe my experience as a reporter, negotiator, union leader and trainer/facilitator will translate well in the role of national President of the PNA.
I ask for your support.
My interview with Catherine Schellenberg
Transcript of the video interview
GAIL CARDUCCI, candidate for VP Anglophone
Through a significant financial investment and our team’s tireless efforts on the surplus sharing dispute, the PNA has demonstrated our worth to members as never before. My goal as Vice-President (Anglophone) will be to build on that success.
The most important priority is recruitment. As President of the Ontario Region, our team has quadrupled the recruitment rate. To face the challenges that lie ahead, we need the strong mandate that high enrolment brings.
Inclusiveness is essential to our growth. The demographics of the CBC workforce have changed, and we will see that change reflected in the PNA, as we welcome more members who are not Caucasian, or who don’t identify as one of two genders. The PNA must demonstrate it is a welcoming organization. The work I began in 2020 as leader of the working group for Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion (EDI) led to the birth of the Board’s Standing Committee on EDI. There is still work to be done.
Transparency and openness are among our stated core values. At our convention in 2021, I oversaw an observer program that resulted in important member engagement. Recently, through my work with the Board’s ad hoc committee, I helped to develop an observer policy for our national meetings.
My career led me from CKSO in Sudbury to the CBC, CBS 60 Minutes and NBC News in England, then back to my professional home, the CBC. I am a roll-up-my-sleeves-and-get-work-done person. During my time as President of the Ontario Region, we adopted better bylaws; improved communication through Livewire, a revamped professional newsletter; and connected with members by offering more, and better-run, occasions to get together.
My decision to stand for the position of Vice-President (Anglophone) is a show of faith in the future of the PNA. I ask for your support.
My interview with Catherine Schellenberg
Transcript of the video interview
PIERRE-LÉON LAFRANCE, candidate for Vice-President, Francophone
I was hired as a news editor at CBC in July 1974. For the next 7 years, I worked on writing, news bulletin layout, and national and regional reporting.
In 1981, I was appointed parliamentary correspondent in Ottawa. It was the time of the patriation of the constitution, the end of the Trudeau (father) regime and the beginning of the Mulroney era.
Back to Montreal in 1987, as desk editor for the late-afternoon newscast. I also worked as producer for programs such as Montréal-Express and Dimanche Magazine. During that period, I was also responsible for election and referendum coverage, as well as special events such as budgets.
In 1994, I was appointed correspondent in Washington, where I spent 6 years before returning as head of international relations for CBC and finally editor-in-chief at Radio Canada International, where I was responsible for the newsroom and the French, English, Ukrainian and Brazilian sections.
I retired in July 2011.
Translation of my video interview with Catherine Schellenberg
Réjean Labrie, candidate for Treasurer
Please find below a short bio on my work experience. I have decided to present myself for the position of Treasurer – position which I have occupied for the last six years.
I have more than 25 years of accounting experience as an accountant, Chief Accountant, Director of Costs, Chief of Credit and Collection, Chief of Financial Accounting and Financial Comptroller.
I have more than 15 years of experience in IT (information technology) as a systems analyst for the SAP Support Center.
I have seen numerous accounting systems in my career. I have worked in several sectors, ranging from public accounting with Samson Bélair, as well as in the hotel, transport, food, and communications industries.
I have a Bachelor of Business Administration (B.B.A.) in management accounting.
I am also a member of the Ordre des comptables professionnels agréés (CPA) du Québec, and of the Society of Management Accountants (CMA) of Canada.
I am also a certified SAP consultant in financial accounting.
I am Francophone but also functional in English, spoken and written.
I truly enjoyed the 27 years I spent at CBC and if I can make myself useful by giving some time to the CBC Pensioners Association to protect our acquired rights as retirees, I will have participated in achieving the Association’s goals.