Dear members,
On behalf of everyone at the Canadian Association of Professional Employees (CAPE), we wish you a Happy Public Service Pride Week, and for those in the National Capital Region, Happy Capital Pride!
The Pride movement is celebrated at various times across the country and is an important moment for our society to embrace our multifaceted diversity and reflect on the work still needed to create a peaceful space and a fair and equitable environment for members of the 2SLGBTQ+ communities.
Public Service Pride Week builds on the core tenants of the movement and brings the focus on how we apply these principles to the federal workplace. As we navigate social changes within society, we must also ensure we are keeping up with or forging ahead in the federal public sector.
Federal public sector workplace: know your rights
How does this translate into the workplace? For one, discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity or expression in employment is prohibited under the Canadian Human Rights Act. In the federal government, employees belonging to 2SLGBTQ+ communities are subject to the same protection as other federal employees against discrimination, harassment, and violence in the workplace.
Please remember that if you experience any struggle at work related to your sexual or gender identity, know that we in the union community are here, ready to help you.
Discrimination in all its form must be addressed and eliminated.
2022: ‘Being Your Authentic Self’
This year’s Public Service Pride Week theme of being your authentic self is an important reminder that we still have work to do to ensure that people can feel that can be their authentic selves — without fear of judgement, reprisals, or microaggressions.
Let’s continue to work together to make sure we continue cultivating inclusive and safe work environments that foster equitable opportunities in the workplace for everyone in 2SLGBTQ+ communities!
Everyone can be an ally.
National Capital Region Pride Week
CAPE has supported and participated in the Capital Pride Parade since before the pandemic break and will be involved again this year. This time around we’ll be walking with our friends and allies from the Ottawa & District Labour Council, the central labour body in the city of Ottawa, as well as members of the Canadian Labour Congress. Members were sent an invitation by email last week. If you didn’t receive it, please contact general@acep-cape.ca to receive more information and register.
We look forward to marching with members, colleagues, friends, and family to show our support to the 2SLGBTQ+ communities.
Locals across the country have been participating in their regional events for Pride as well. Feel free to share your photos with us and we will share some throughout Pride Week! Share your photos here: info@acep-cape.ca
CAPE Pride logo
During Pride month and throughout Pride events, you may notice CAPE’s Pride logo we released in June. The flag includes black and brown stripes to represent marginalized 2SLGBTQ+ communities of colour, along with the colours pink, light blue and white, from the Transgender Pride Flag. It is widely used now across Canada and in the federal public sector to embody the movement and the community.
We encourage you to support the movement and show those colours proudly during Pride Month and every day.
Happy Pride!
CAPE
Resources
- Rights of LGBTI persons
- Canadian Centre for Occupational Health and Safety – Violence in the Workplace
- Canadian Human Rights Act
- Canadian Human Rights Commission
Other
