Melissa George

Educating and informing Canadian government officials and Parliamentarians about the impacts and risks of eliminating public service workers to the policies and programs on which people rely. Advocating for fair pension and retirement benefits for PSAC-Customs and Immigration Union members with the Government of Canada. Amend the policies within the Public Service Superannuation Act (PSSA) that determine when an individual may qualify for full benefits. Eligibility criteria was changed in the 2012 federal Budget for new participants as of January 1, 2013.

Providing input into the federal comprehensive expenditure review, while engaging the government on strengthening federal programs and services, respecting the workforce adjustment appendix, and reducing job cuts. Reversal of the federal government’s universal in-office telework mandate. Properly fund public health care in order to meet the Canada Health Act. Reverse the privatization of health care, including the use of staffing agencies.? Child care with respect to a national, publicly funded child care system and the inclusion of non-traditional childcare (including that available for shift work/precarious work) in subsidy and funding programs.? Employment Insurance with respect to coverage, benefits, premiums and service delivery.? Pay equity including improvements to pay equity legislation, and with respect to the Public Sector Equitable Compensation Act.? Changes to the Canada Labour Code in respect of replacement workers, unpaid internships, minimum employment standards and health and safety. Provision of unreduced pension benefits for public safety officers who have worked 25 years or more.? Federal public service group insurance benefit plans including; health and dental care benefits, disability insurance, and life insurance and how these benefits are administered.? Enhancements and improvements to federal women's programs by Women and Gender Equality Canada, including the funding of women's advocacy groups. Also, engaging with the federal government on pay equity issues.? Changes to the Employment Equity Act, improving equity and inclusion within the public service and overall human rights application within places of work. Changes to the Federal Public Service Labour Relations Act to make for more effective bargaining, dispute resolution, pay, grievance adjudication, expanding the scope of what can be negotiated and representation in the sector.? Federal pension law reform including rules and regulations with respect to solvency requirements, and protection against the conversion of defined benefit plans to target benefit plans.? Canada Pension Plan/Québec Pension Plan: improvements, including in benefit levels and expansion of coverage.? The changes to the Public Service Superannuation Act which increased the retirement age for federal public service workers from 60 to 65 years as of 2013. Damages/compensation for the issues caused by the transfer of the administration of the Public Service Health Care Plan from Sun Life to Canada Life.? The overreliance of the federal government on the use of temporary help agencies, consultants and contracting out to agencies rather than using the talents, skills and expertise of indeterminant federal public service workers.? The need for a public inquiry into the implementation and management of the Phoenix pay system.? Federal public service payroll and compensation systems including Phoenix pay system; damages/compensation in connection with Phoenix pay system (including the taxability of such damages/compensation); all other matters related to Phoenix and pay; the development of a new generation pay system.?

Working with the government to provide support for start ups, focusing on sustainable chemistry and clean tech sectors, and assisting with commercialization and helping bring products and technology to market.

Scale Rebar business and potentially set up a new facility in Ontario.

Assistance funding support with respect to the company's re-investment plan, and the impact of U.S. tariffs.

Advocacy related to university engagement in Canadian priorities in artificial intelligence, data systems and related computing science and energy subjects, including but not limited to specific calls for proposals. Advocacy for university initiatives related to Canadian priorities across the defence spectrum, including initiatives relevant to both Defence and Veterans' Affairs, among other federal departments. Advocacy to enhance support for university research mobilization and commercialization activities. Research security, with respect to international research partnerships Discussions with Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada and other relevant departments and agencies regarding the role of universities in supporting federal innovation initiatives, policies and programs. Discussions regarding research and development initiatives and federal support related to energy and environment, and climate change research, innovation, commercialization, talent and knowledge mobilization. Discussions regarding official language funding amounts and mechanisms. Discussions about the Copyright Act and details of its implementation in a post-secondary setting. Advocacy to secure support in the budget for post-secondary education, research, innovation, and science and technology. Advocacy to secure federal support to develop and upgrade university infrastructure, including but not limited to research and learning facilities, digital infrastructure, and transit infrastructure. Advocacy to increase support for university research, including research funding and granting programs administered by the tri-agencies (SSHRC, NSERC, CIHR) and other departments and agencies. Advocacy to improve immigration policies and programs for prospective and current university students, faculty, and staff. Advocacy to ensure that proposals to develop or amend federal legislation, regulations, policies or programs that directly or indirectly impact the post-secondary system reflect the needs of universities and support our research and education mission. Advocacy to enhance student supports, including but no limited to Canada Student Grants and Loans, the Canada Graduate Scholarship Program, supports for Indigenous students, and work-integrated learning programs. Advocacy to advance Canadian leadership in priority areas to support world class research, talent attraction and retention, and knowledge mobilization. Advocacy related to reconciliation efforts, including but not limited to the Truth and Reconciliation Commission's Calls to Action

Support the work of the Sexual Misconduct Response Centre and the Office of the Chief of Professional Conduct and Culture. Support culture change within the Canadian Armed Forces. Advance the implementation of the recommendations of the Independent External Comprehensive Review of the Department of National Defence and the Canadian Armed Forces.

That Canada takes tangible steps to actuate on the commitments made with regards to social media and online harms in the 2025 G7 Interior and Security Ministers Communiqué. That a national program be developed to enhance the digital literacy of youth relating to misinformation and disinformation that they may encounter online. Recommendations for the Standing Committee on Justice and Human Rights on Bill C-9, An Act to amend the Criminal Code (hate propaganda, hate crime and access to religious or cultural places): 1. The Committee should support Section 3 and Subsection 4(2), while maintaining the requirement for Attorney General consent for private prosecutions under the Hate Propaganda provisions; 2. The Committee should reject the proposed Subsection 319(2.2) as drafted, limit it to hate symbols, remove the term “Nazi Swastika,” use the term Hakenkreuz (Hooked Cross), include the Sieg Heil salute, and create a new subsection under Section 83.18 prohibiting the public display of symbols used by listed terrorist entities; 3. The Committee should require that any codified definition of “Hatred” conforms with the Supreme Court of Canada’s articulation in the Whatcott decision; 4. The Committee should repeal or amend the exemptions in Subsections 319(3)(b) and 319(3.1)(b). That Transport Canada conduct an investigation into three incidents that took place at airports in October 2025 in Kelowna, Victoria and Windsor. At each airport, the flight information screens and the public address system were hijacked to display and broadcast pro-terror messages. That the Chair of the Standing Committee on Transport, Infrastructure and Communities, extend invitations to the Minister of Transport and the Minister of Public Safety to testify and provide Canadians with essential information about how these airports were compromised, and what steps are being taken to ensure the continued safety of Canadian travelers. That the Minister of Public Safety investigate and, where possible, enforce restrictions on terror-glorifying content, including but not limited to video games and online activity. That the Standing Committee on Public Safety and National Security launch a new study on the topic of the rise of online radicalization among Canadian youth. That the new Capstone Research Funding Organization ensures that Canada’s three federal research funding agencies amend their funding agreements with post-secondary institutions to include, as a component of the agreements, an attestation that the institutions will ensure that all activities funded by the agencies are in alignment with Canada’s Anti-Racism Strategy. That the Government of Canada formally recognize the national crisis of antisemitism and establish a federal task force to develop a coordinated, nationwide response. Legislate mandatory parliamentary briefings and annual public reporting on the scope, evolution, and response to foreign interference threats, enhancing accountability and transparency and Develop a graduated enforcement regime that empowers the government to respond proportionately to violations, from public reprimands to criminal charges, where warranted. Examine the enhancement of section 83.18 of the Criminal Code, which prohibits the participation in the activity of a terrorist group. Membership in, recruiting others to become members of, and the promotion or glorification of a listed terror entity should also be criminalized using this section. Explore reformation of section 319(3)(b) of the Criminal Code. The defences from prosecution contained in these provisions are being manipulated by bad faith actors who are taking advantage of these sections by misusing their roles as faith leaders to justify their promotion of hatred. Propose amendments to the Criminal Code to criminalize the public display of the emblems and symbols of listed terror entities to effectively prevent the glorification and promotion of the ideologies and actions of listed terror entities. This c

The Council of Canadian Innovators (CCI) is engaging with government officials to discuss the alignment between CCI’s priorities and the federal government’s efforts to foster innovation in Canada. These discussions focus on ensuring that government programs and policies effectively support high-growth Canadian technology firms and strengthen the country’s innovation ecosystem. Canadian Sovereign AI Compute Strategy: advocacy was focused on bringing domestic firms into the value chain through policies and measures that provide equal opportunity for Canadian Head Quartered companies. Discussion on the intangible economy, SR&ED, and economic growth as it relates to domestic expenditures for intellectual property filing, as well as a focus on small and medium-sized companies. US Trade - discussed Tariffs and handling of Canada US Mexico Trade Agreement. Sustainable Development Technology Canada (SDTC) to establish a sponsorship agreement related to CCI's Board education training program for the intangible economy. Small Business and Tourism, Changes to Canadian Export Program (CanExport) so it allows more technology companies to apply Procurement – Changes to Request for Proposal (RFP) process to break down large bundles into smaller amounts for Medium and Small Business (SMEs) can apply Health Canada: advocate for an increase of resources for Therapeutics Canada for them to speed up processing times and efficiencies within their department; create working groups and framework with industry leaders and health Canada on digital and data health, and create a therapeutics working group with industry and health Canada. Finance – Changes to Scientific research and experimental development (SR&ED) tax incentive program to make the process easier for Medium and Small Business (SMEs) to apply and report on the current program, to further increase the maximum a SME can apply for Export Development Canada (EDC) to establish a sponsorship agreement related to CCI's Board education training program for the intangible economy. Environment and Climate Change Canada, give input and feedback on the PanCanada Framework, Canada-China agreement for scientific and technological cooperation, and the relationship between Carbon Dioxide (CO2) Emitters & CO2 Reducers. Our focus is on involving Canadian high-growth firms in the policies and programs the government is working on regarding climate change and the greening of government. Discussions on international trade, specifically on the North American Free Trade Agreement with respect to data localisation, labour mobility and tariffs. Defence & Security: advocate for a domestic-focused cybersecurity ecosystem that has Canadian companies at the centre of a national cybersecurity defence policy. Citizenship and immigration – Change the current work visa time lines, seek changes to the the Labour Market Impact Assessment for expatiating and a faster process Changes to Industrial Research Assistance Program (IRAP) to make the process easier for Medium and Small Business (SMEs) to apply and report on the current program, to Increase the maximum amount a SME can apply for Canada Revenue Agency (CRA) - changes to (scientific research and experimental development) SR&ED program with how it is administered and reviewed. Discussed companies SR&ED claims and issues with their processing. Business Development Bank of Canada (BDC) to establish a sponsorship agreement related to CCI's Board education training program for the intangible economy.

Advocate for the adoption of FinanceOps’ AI-driven collections platform by the federal government for the purpose of increasing recovery of outstanding debts, fines, and overpayment.

Support approvals for export permits for international export markets Light Armoured Vehicle Special Variant Enhancements Additional Mechanized Armoured Vehicles (AMAV) Logistics Vehicle Modernization (LVM) project