PSAC North Regional Triennial Convention 2026: Uniting Workers’ Voices for a Stronger North
Friday, May 29 to Sunday, May 31
Kwanlin Dün Cultural Centre
Whitehorse, Yukon
Convention is an exciting opportunity to help set the direction for your union and make a difference for fellow members. But it isn’t just about process and resolutions; it’s about building collective power and making our voices heard. It’s about coming together to decide what matters most and how we will fight for it together. Whether you’re participating in your first Convention or you’ve attended before, this is your chance to play a role in building a strong union and a powerful labour movement.
IMPORTANT DEADLINES
Delegate Name Submissions Due: EXTENDED – February 5
Resolutions Due: February 13
Delegate Registrations Due: February 20
Begin Travel Arrangements: February 27
Committee Reports Due: April (TBC)
* All deadlines are by 5:00 PM MT
BECOMING A DELEGATE
All delegates attending the Convention must be Members in Good Standing of PSAC.
Convention details, resources, and other items of interest will be made available to delegates on the Convention web page and in a physical Convention Kit, which includes the Convention Guide (agenda and program), Rules of Procedure, Resolutions, Committee Reports, Regional Executive Vice-President’s Report, and Convention Swag.
Delegate entitlement is defined in Section 16, Sub-Sections 5 to 9of the PSAC Constitution.
To ensure representation if a delegate cannot attend on short notice, Locals and Committees are encouraged to elect with proper accounting and submit names for alternate delegates if possible. When electing more than one alternate delegate, please ensure they are ranked (1st Alternate, 2nd Alternate…). Alternates will be verified during the credential confirmation process.
Local Member Delegates
PSAC’s Finance Branch uses an accounting of the highest number of members for the 12 months prior to the Convention to determine the number of delegates each Local may send to the Convention.
Members wishing to attend as delegates from their Local must be duly elected at a Local meeting in accordance with their Component bylaws and notify PSAC North via email which body they will represent. The deadline to submit delegate names is January 29.
PSAC North will verify the credentials of elected delegates from each Component. Confirmed delegates will be provided a link to the Convention Delegate Registration Form once their status is confirmed. The deadline for completing the online registration form is February 20.
Area Council and Regional Committee Delegates
Members wishing to attend as delegates representing an Area Council or Regional Committee must be duly elected by the body they represent, with proper accounting (i.e. meeting minutes) available to confirm delegate status.
Observers
PSAC Members in Good Standing who wish to attend the Convention as an observer must notify PSAC North via email no later than January 29. Due to space limitations, the number of observers is limited on a first-come, first-served basis. Accepted observers will be sent the online Convention Delegate Registration Form to complete by February 20.
Observers are responsible for all costs related to attending the Convention.
PSAC will cover/reimburse expenses related to approved accessibility requirements. Each observer will be charged a mandatory $200 fee and will receive a Convention Kit. Regional Committees and Area Councils are reminded that they cannot spend committee/council funds on observers.
ATTENDING CONVENTION
Delegates requiring commercial transportation to and from the Convention may make travel arrangements beginning February 27 and only after delegate registration is completed.
Hotel rooms in Whitehorse have been reserved for delegates. All room reservations must be made with the PSAC North REVP Office via email for the reserved block of hotel rooms. Prior to making travel arrangements, attendees should ensure that they have been granted leave from their Employer to attend the Regional Convention.
Travel Policy
Travel arrangements must be made with W.E. Union Travel no later than March 20. Members may refer to the PSAC Travel Policy for further guidance. Expenses and Loss of Salary will be reimbursed in accordance with the policy.
Accessibility and Accommodation
The purpose of the Accessibility and Accommodation at PSAC Events Policy is to provide consistency across the organization. The health and welfare of our members is our utmost priority. Accessibility requests must be assessed on a case-by-case basis. An accommodation is considered reasonable if it promotes inclusion, is implemented in a manner that respects the dignity of the person requesting the accommodation and eliminates the barrier to the extent possible without imposing undue hardship on the accommodation provider.
Scent-Free Environments
In consideration of the health of our members who may suffer from environmental disabilities, and in observance of PSAC’s Statement on environmental sensitivities, with the goal of eliminating all contaminants from the air, all delegates are asked to refrain from using scented products while attending the Convention.
Family Care Policy
PSAC’s Family Care Policy removes barriers which may prevent members from participating fully in union activities and provides for the reimbursement of family care expenses related to attending the Convention.
Environment
Climate change, global warming, and the protection of our environment are union issues. Conventions, conferences, and meetings all have an impact on our environment. We can help reduce this impact by adopting environmentally friendly practices. Our actions have included reducing the amount of paper and materials distributed, and recycling and reusing Convention materials. Of note – printed copies of convention materials will only be provided to attendees who request them at the time of registration.
In line with PSAC’s participation in the Blue Community Project, single-use plastic water bottles will not be made available at this event.
RESOLUTIONS
Resolutions to Convention must be sent to PSACnorthconvention@psac-afpc.com by February 13.
As per Section 7, Sub-Section (3)(b) of the PSAC North Bylaws, resolutions to Convention may be submitted by (in Good Standing):
- Regional Council
- Northern Components
- Locals
- Regional Women’s Committees
- Territorial Area Councils
- Regional Human Rights and Equity Committees
- PSAC Regional Health & Safety Committees
- Regional Young Workers Committees
Resolutions submitted after the deadline shall be considered late and referred to the appropriate resolutions committee for a recommendation, treated as the final order of business at the North Regional Triennial Convention, or by the North Regional Council following the Convention. Delegate motions on the Convention floor cannot be used to move a late resolution in the order of business.
Writing a Good Resolution
- Use clear, simple wording
- Be concise and focused – respect the word limit (150 EN/160 FR)
- Deal with just one topic (problem) and have one major objective
- Clearly identify the problem
- Specifically outline the required action
- Build in accountability (i.e. deadlines), who will be responsible for implementing the proposed action, what resources will be required
- Ensure the action proposed is within the jurisdiction of the organization to implement
- Avoid topics that are constitutionally addressed in other ways (i.e. bargaining demands), or actions that have already been enacted
- Allow for flexibility in implementation – it’s the result that counts
- Apply the WHO, WHAT, WHEN, WHY, and HOW test
- Submit on time
Members are encouraged to review Examples of Good Resolutions while drafting resolutions.
ELECTIONS
The following positions will be elected for three-year terms at the 2026 PSAC North Regional Triennial Convention:
- The Regional Executive Vice-President (REVP)
- The Alternate REVP
Any Member in Good Standing may run for union office. Candidates for positions elected at the PSAC North Regional Triennial Convention must also live and/or work in the North Region. Candidates for REVP must (or be willing to) live and/or work in Yellowknife.
Candidates for the positions of REVP and Alternate REVP will be asked to participate in an all-candidates’ debate scheduled during the Convention. Delegates will have the opportunity to submit questions for the debate.
Nomination forms and additional details will be posted here on the Convention web page. Nominators and seconders must be delegates to the PSAC North Regional Triennial Convention.
TRAINING
Training sessions and courses related to the Convention, including on resolution writing and rules of order, will be posted on the PSAC North website Events page and advertised via email and social media.
Members who are unable to attend scheduled courses are encouraged to explore the online, self-paced version of this training.
First-time delegates will have the opportunity to participate in an orientation session to be scheduled prior to the start of the Convention.