bout de papier, September 1983 // Septembre 1983, p. 2
A native of Montreal, Christine Manseau was born in the province of Quebec where she attended primary school. She completed her secondary studies at the Collège Notre-Dame de Bellevue in Quebec City and then spent a year studying English in Boston. Upon her return to Canada, she attended Ottawa University where she obtained a BA Honours in Sociology and started working on her MA. After several years of service as a project officer with the Québec and Federal governments, in 1975 she was appointed Staff Relations Officer with the Canada Labour Relations Board. It was while with the Board that she became interested in and conversant with employee-employer relations. She returned to Ottawa in 1977 to become the Executive Secretary of one of the component unions of the Public Service Alliance of Canada, SECO. As the chief administrative officer she called upon the knowledge and experience gained previously to represent SECO’s membership, primarily language teachers employed by the Public Service Commission, in grievances, appeals and at joint consultation meetings. It is this background she brings to her new position, your Executive Director.
Ms. Manseau is a firm believer in organization, administrative efficiency and planning. “Not only does proper administration save money, and planning save time, but they allow you to get on with the main work of the organization, in PAFSO’s case serving the members” she said in a recent interview.
In her brief time with PAFSO she has made it a priority to learn as much as she can about the Association, its members and their concerns. She has attended Departmental briefing sessions for newly posted officers, several PAFSO Professional Committee breakfasts and the Annual General Meeting of the Foreign Service Community Association.
Representing the interests of the members and furthering the interests of the members of PAFSO are the two primary elements of her job as Ms. Manseau sees it. She also believes it important that they be aware of what is happening and have direct input into the decision-making process of the Association. In upholding her commitment to keep the membership informed Ms. Manseau will be writing a regular column, Executive Director’s Notes in each issue of the bout de papier.
Away from the concerns of PAFSO, Ms. Manseau lives quietly in Ottawa’s west end. She was recently re-married and between herself and her husband have four children from their previous marriages.
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Originally published in bout de papier, September 1983 // Septembre 1983, p. 2. Read the rest of this issue →
