The Foreign Service Directives Committee reviews and recommends changes to the Foreign Service Directives and hears final level grievances on these authorities, when required by the Executive Committee. The Committee also recommends changes to various rates and premiums on a periodic basis.
Committee Advisor: Eden Bédard
Quarterly Report to the National Joint Council (September 2025)
Regular Activities:
- The Committee has met once (1) since the last Council meeting.
- The Committee wishes to note the departure of an Employer Side representative, Catherine Vézina, from Global Affairs Canada (GAC) and a Bargaining Agent Side representative, Logann McNamara, from the Professional Association of Foreign Service Officers (PAFSO) and to thank them for their contributions to the Committee.
- The Committee welcomed a new Employer Side representative, John Crysler, from GAC, and a new Bargaining Agent Side representative, Bertrand Myre, from PAFSO.
- The Committee received a presentation from the Treasury Board of Canada Secretariat and Statistics Canada regarding the modernization of the post index methodology for Foreign Service Directive (FSD) 55 – Post Living Allowance. The Committee agreed with the recommendation to modify the methodology and issued a memo to the Executive Committee requesting approval to update the Guide to NJC Rates and Allowances accordingly. Consequently, the Guide has been updated.
- During the recent cyclical review, a reference to meal rates in FSD 15.23.4(a)(iii) was inadvertently changed and resulted in a meal rate reduction of 25% for employees in hotel accommodation for days five (5) to 30. As this was not the intended result, the Committee issued a memo to the Executive Committee requesting permission to remove the new language that was added to 15.23.4(a)(iii). The request was approved, and the Directive has been updated.
- Following the completion of cyclical review, the Executive Committee requested that the Committee conduct a best practices exercise to identify areas of strength and areas of improvement. The Committee has completed this exercise and will be issuing a memo to the Executive Committee outlining the results.
Outstanding Item(s):
One (1) grievance:
- One (1) related to FSD 8 – Short-Term Assignments is scheduled to be heard in September.
Next Meetings: November 11, 2025; December 11, 2025