To make it easy to navigate and locate the bios for each nominee, below is a list of all candidates in the upcoming election. Each name will be clickable to view the bio, if one has been provided. These will be updated at least once daily, as bios are submitted. Good luck to all candidates!
The nomination period is now closed. Below is the list of positions along with the names of those nominated or acclaimed in alphabetic order.
Thank you to everyone who participated in the nomination process. Reminder that elections will be held from November 26 to December 3 for those positions where elections are to be held.
Each nominee is allowed to provide a one page ‘bio’ as per Article 5.09 of the bylaws. “… a maximum of one (1) article included in the electronic voting system and posted on the Local Union website.” In the next post. there will be a list of the nominees that will include each bio/article as they are submitted.
To make it easy to find and navigate, below is the list of candidates in the election. Each name will be clickable to view their bio, if one has been provided. Good luck to all candidates!
President
Trustee
Lynne Belonoha
Regional Vice-President, Region 1 (BC)
Regional Vice-President, Region 5A (Ontario)
Regional Vice-President, Region 7 (Maritimes)
Denise Breau
Regional Vice-President, Region 8 (Atlantic)
Jessica Scott
| List of Nominees and Acclaimation |
| The nomination period for the upcoming elections is now closed. Thank you to all who participated in the process. The following is a list of the nominees that have been acclaimed. TREASURER Karri Patterson – Acclaimed REGIONAL VICE-PRESIDENT, Region 2 – Alberta Susan Kirchner – Acclaimed REGIONAL VICE-PRESIDENT, Region 3 – Saskatchewan Crystal Forman – Acclaimed REGIONAL VICE-PRESIDENT, Region 4 – Manitoba Pam Nowosad-Federowich – Acclaimed The following positions received multiple nominations and an election will take place. PRESIDENT *Brandi Kehoe *Paul Cadiente TRUSTEE, 3 YEAR *Carolyn Layfield *Debbie Churchill *Lynne Belonoha REGIONAL VICE-PRESIDENT, Region 1 – BC *Connie Taylor *Steve Romanin REGIONAL VICE-PRESIDENT, Region 5A – Ontario *Angela Coleman *Kristin Gibson *Sadie Harper REGIONAL VICE-PRESIDENT, Region 5B – Ontario *Daniel Greco *Olivia Kirby REGIONAL VICE-PRESIDENT, Region 7 – Maritimes *Amanda Atherton *Denise Breau REGIONAL VICE-PRESIDENT, Region 8 – Atlantic *Clarissa Harris *Jessica Scott Thank you to everyone who participated in the election process. Reminder that elections will be held from November 21-27, 2023 for those positions where elections are to be held. |
| Between November 21-27, 2023 members will elect 2 table officers, and 11 RVP’s (2-year term) and 1 trustee (3-year term). Election for Table Officer Positions: President Treasurer Election for Trustee Position: Trustee Elected by a vote of the membership in all regions. Election for Regional Vice-President Positions: BC Region Alberta Region Saskatchewan Region Manitoba Region Ontario Region 5A Ontario Region 5B National Office Region 6A National Office Region 6B National Office Region 6C Maritimes Region Atlantic Region Elected by a vote of the membership in their respective region. Nominations will open October 31, 2023 and must be submitted to the Returning Officer by 4:00 p.m. EST on November 14, 2023; the day nominations close. To be eligible for a nomination and election, a member must be in continuous good standing for twelve (12) consecutive months prior to date of nomination. Your participation as a candidate or as an informed voter in Union elections is crucial because those you elect will help administer the affairs of the Union. No nomination shall be accepted unless the member nominating has signed the nomination form and the member nominated has indicated on the form, or by other means, their willingness to stand for office. Nominations must be sent in during the nomination period. Any nominations received before or after the nomination period will not be accepted. A complete list of candidates for office will be posted on the Local Union website on November 15, 2023 After the closing of nominations all duly nominated candidates will be extended an opportunity to have a maximum of one (1) article included in the electronic voting system and posted on the Local Union website/social media. The article can include an active link to a website. Kristen Bowman will serve as Returning Officer during the election. Voting will be conducted using electronic voting over seven days, November 21-27, 2023. Personal email addresses should be received by the Returning Officer, Kristen Bowman via your RVP and no later than November 7, 2023, to ensure receipt of ballots. If you are unsure if we have your correct email on file, please reach out to your RVP to confirm. In solidarity, Brandi Kehoe President, COPE Local 491 |
| Campaign Rules Campaigning cannot occur during work time. Use of the Employer’s Teams chat or email to circulate election material is not permitted. Candidates are asked to always conduct themselves with dignity. Any behaviour or material that undermines the dignity or self-esteem of any individual or creates an intimidating, hostile or offensive environment will not be tolerated. Each duly nominated candidate may submit a maximum of one (1) article (PDF) to be published on the Local Union Website and included in the electronic voting system. Website posting of articles begin November 15, 2023. Kristen Bowman Returning Officer, COPE Local 491 |
| DATES TO REMEMBER October 30, 2023 Election Call November 7, 2023 Personal email address deadline October 31, 2023 Nominations open November 14, 2023 4:00 p.m. EST Nominations Close November 15, 2023 Complete list of candidates will be posted on the Union’s Website Website posting of articles begin November 21-27, 2023 **VOTE** |
To make it easy to find and navigate, below is the list of candidates in the election. Each name will be clickable to view their bio, if one has been provided. Good luck to all candidates!
Secretary
Alex Hernandez
Regional Vice-President, Region 2 (Alberta)
Trustee (Three Year)
Sonia Argatoff
Marie Hagerman
| The nomination period for the upcoming elections is now closed. Thank you to all who participated in the process. The following is a list of the nominees that have been acclaimed. NATIONAL VICE-PRESIDENT Mia Warwick – Acclaimed EDUCATION/COMMUNICATIONS OFFICER Rachel Roberts – Acclaimed The following positions received nominations and an election will take place. SECRETARY *Alex Hernandez *Theresa Walkowski TRUSTEE, 3 YEAR *Sonia Argatoff *Marie Hagerman REGIONAL VICE-PRESIDENT, Region 2 (AB) *Melody Voykin *Lise Bettac The following position received no nominations. REGIONAL VICE-PRESIDENT – Region 7 (Maritimes) Thank you again to all who participated in this process. The Elections will take place December 5-11, 2022. |
Between December 5 to 11, 2022 members will elect three (3) table officers, two (2) RVPs and one (1) trustee in accordance with the COPE 491 Bylaws.
Table Officer Positions:
National Vice-President
Secretary
Communications/Education Officer
Trustee Position:
Trustee 3-year term
Elected by a vote of the membership in all regions
Regional Vice-President Positions (By-Election):
Region 2 – Alberta
Region 7 – Maritimes
Elected by a vote of the membership in their respective region
Nominations will open October 31, 2022 and must be submitted to the Returning Officer by 4:00 p.m. EST on November 14, 2022; the day nominations close.
To be eligible for a nomination and election, a member must be in continuous good standing for twelve (12) consecutive months prior to date of nomination.
| No nomination shall be accepted unless the member nominating has signed the nomination form and the member nominated has indicated on the form, or by other means, their willingness to stand for office. Nominations must be sent in during the nomination period. Any nominations received before or after the nomination period will not be accepted. A complete list of candidates for office will be posted on the Local Union website on November 15, 2022. After the closing of nominations all duly nominated candidates will be extended an opportunity to have a maximum of one (1) article included in the electronic voting system and posted on the Local Union website. The article may reference candidate websites but shall not contain any active links to external websites. Mary Elizabeth Archer will serve as Returning Officer during the election. Voting will be conducted using electronic voting over seven days, December 5 to 11, 2022. Your participation as a candidate or as an informed voter in Union elections is crucial because those you elect will help administer the affairs of the Union. Personal email addresses should be received by the Returning Officer, Mary Elizabeth Archer via your RVP and no later than October 31, 2022, to ensure receipt of ballots. In solidarity, Brandi Kehoe President, COPE Local 491 |
Campaign Rules
Campaigning cannot occur during work time.
Use of the Employer’s voice mail or email to
circulate election material is not permitted.
Candidates are asked to always conduct themselves with dignity.
Any behaviour or material that undermines
the dignity or self-esteem of any individual
or creates an intimidating, hostile or
offensive environment will not be tolerated.
Each duly nominated candidate may submit a maximum of one (1) article (PDF) to be published on the Local Union Website and included in the electronic voting system.
Website posting of articles begin November 15, 2022.
Mary Elizabeth Archer
Returning Officer, COPE Local 491
DATES TO REMEMBER
October 17, 2022
Election Call
October 31, 2022
Personal email address deadline
October 31, 2022
Nominations open
November 14, 2022 4:00 p.m. EST
Nominations Close
November 15, 2022
Complete list of candidates will be posted on the Union’s Website
Website posting of articles begin
December 5-11, 2022
**VOTE**
Dear COPE 491 members,
Please see the attached survey relating to Article 25.04 Workload Review that was recently bargained into our collective agreement. This project will begin this fall and will include collaborations between our Local, the Employer and CSU.
Only answer the survey questions that pertain to you. If a question does not relate to your job, office or department please keep it blank.
This data is being collected to analyze our work, but also to focus on how our work has changed over the past several years because of higher demand in some departments/regions, technology, the nature of the reps’ work as it relates to our support, and also as a result of the pandemic. It is also to see where there is need for added support, or training in certain departments or regions.
I know some of you in the National Office region have already filled out a survey similar to this one. If you have and you do not have anything further to add, please know I still have those surveys and I will be using them for this project. If you would like to redo the survey, you are welcome to.
If there is something related to your workload, but the question has not been posed in this survey, please feel free to add that information into the comments section at the end of the survey.
All completed surveys can be sent to me, Brandi Kehoe (bkehoe.cope491@gmail.com). Please have them in by October 26th 2022.
Thank you and In Solidarity,
Brandi Kehoe (she/her)
President
COPE 491
COPE has been advised that the retroactive pay should be paid to members with the pay statement on September 8, 2022.
If there is any further information to share, we will let you know.
In Solidarity