National Union Scholarship winners for 2021

"Congratulations to all the winners of our 2021 scholarships. All entries were excellent and showcased the impressive abilities and wide interests of Canadian students. We wish the winners and entrants the best of luck as they pursue their education and eventual careers.” — Larry Brown, NUPGE President

Ottawa (07 Oct. 2021) — The National Union of Public and General Employees (NUPGE) offered nine $2,500 scholarships for 2021 that reflect its pursuit of equal opportunity for all workers. They are available to the children/grandchildren and foster children/grandchildren of the current 390,000 members of the National Union or of its retirees. With the except of the Young Worker Scholarship, applicants must be starting a post-secondary education in a public educational institution. The National Union is pleased to announce the winners of these awards.

Brian Fudge Memorial Scholarship

Lydia Zhang’s parent is Jie Zhang, who is a member of NSGEU/NUPGE. Lydia’s essay, The Importance of Medical Sciences in Healthcare and delivering Public Services to Canadians, discusses the various career paths in the public service open to graduates of medical science programs. The conclusions Lydia draws are even more relevant given the pandemic.

The importance of medical science to Canadian public services also reaches beyond just medical research. Majoring in the field of medical science is a conventional path that leads many to graduate schools of medicine, nursing of higher certifications, pharmacy, and more. It is also important to note that many healthcare positions such as these are in high demand in Canada at the time of writing, with the pandemic only adding to the surge of vacant positions.

Scholarship for Indigenous Students

Kirsten Tolley-Procyk’s parent is Tracy Tolley, who is a member of SGEU/NUPGE. Kirsten has self-identified as Métis and wrote about the importance of public services to Indigenous students.

Quality public services allow Indigenous students to thrive. Basic utilities, healthcare, and education are all public services that all people deserve. Further, these services are best provided in a unionized environment, so that there is a high level of quality control in these services, and so that workers are supported and are working in a quality environment. Indigenous students deserve equitable services as other Canadians have. It is unacceptable for Indigenous students to lack quality public services, as equitable services are a vital component of the spirit of reconciliation.

Scholarship for LGBTQI2S Students

Maxime McKen’s parent is Lyne Maillet, who is a member of the NBU/NUPGE. Maxime has self-identified as a member of the LGBTQI2S+ community. Maxime’s essay, LGBTQIA2S+ and Trade Unions: The Importance of their Alliance, talks about the important role unions play as allies to LGBTQI2S+ people.

In conclusion, the support of the trade union is one of the most important and well-defined advantages that exist to bequeath basic rights and privileges to one of its most endangered minorities. Keeping in mind the heightened rate of suicide and self-harm among these individuals, it is important that such powerful solidary organizations have their back in the long fight for equality, be it through negotiation, the creation of safe spaces of discussion, or educational programs targeted towards the bigoted. The hope for a better future for all is almost guaranteed with solidarity from everyone, a union to defeat inequality and discrimination in all forms.

Scholarship for Students of Colour

Mudit Jain’s parent is Sarika Jain, who is a member of BCGEU/NUPGE. Mudit has self-identified as a person of colour. Mudit’s essay, The Importance of Quality Public Services in Enhancing the Quality of Life for People of Colour, touches on the need for quality healthcare, education, and transportation for people and immigrants of colour.

Public services such as healthcare, transportation, and social assistance programs are essential because they satisfy basic survival needs and allow racialized people to improve their economic status. Quality education and subsidized childcare are crucial in improving the lives of parents and students of colour. Public services relating to recreation such as parks, community centres and libraries are important in creating a sense of belonging and much needed understanding and respect for people of all ethnicities. Such services also give access to free or low-cost opportunities to exercise and socialize, leading to greater physical and mental well-being amongst racialized individuals. Therefore, it is important for all levels of government to better fund public services to overcome racial inequality in Canada and improve the lives of all Canadians.

Scholarship for Black Students

Ava Fearn’s parent is Ramona Santos-Fearn, who is a member of MGEU/NUPGE. Ava has self-identified as a Black person. Ava’s essay, The Impact and Importance of African Feminists, describes the importance of Abena Busia and Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie in the modern African feminist movement.

Overall, the groundbreaking work of Abena Busia and Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie has effectuated a worldwide conversation on feminism and completely re-imagined society’s view on African feminism in particular. Their work has made massive strides in the fight for gender equality, and along with inspiring countless women around the globe, the work of Busia and Adichie has inspired me as well. Witnessing two African women bringing about positive change has, and will continue to motivate me to work hard throughout university so I can create the changes I wish to make.

Terry Fox Memorial Scholarship

Adrienne Andres’ parent is Peter Andres who is a member of MGEU/NUPGE. Adrienne has self-identified as a person with a disability. Adrienne’s essay, The Importance of Quality Public Services in Enhancing the Quality of Life of People with Disabilities, talks about the history of positive impacts quality public services has had for people with disabilities, their families, and all Canadians.

Quality, accessible public services in Canada create communities and workplaces that enable everyone to participate fully in society without barriers. The Canadian Human Rights Act recognizes that all individuals should have their needs accommodated without discrimination on the basis of disability.

Tommy Douglas Scholarship

Kerry Yann’s parent is Chester Yan who is a member of OPSEU/NUPGE. Kerry’s essay, How Tommy Douglas’s Life Contributed to Making Canada a More Just and Equitable Nation, highlights Douglas’ contributions to Canada such as Medicare and Canada’s first Bill of Rights.

It was a combination of Douglas’ humanitarian idealism and courage that allowed for the transformation of the relatively poor, remote and agrarian province of Saskatchewan into Canada’s leader in progressive social policy. Under Douglas, the Saskatchewan government eliminated the sales tax on food and meals and reduced the provincial debt by $20 million (Economy & Society, 2014).

Young Worker Scholarship

The Young Worker Scholarship is awarded to 2 entrants who may be in any level of post-secondary studies but are under 30 years of age as of the scholarship deadline.

Kirstie Muloin is a member of HSAA/NUPGE and a self-identified young worker. Kirstie’s essay, The Equalizing Force, covers the important role unions play by giving workers power against employers and governments.

As we face intense wage stagnation and aggressively increasing inflation, the importance of unions and a unified labour force has never been clearer. The impacts of large corporations like Amazon on the labour force can be felt by all workers, unionized and non-unionized. Anti-labour legislation such as Bill 32 has shown how important unions are in the workforce and the threat that governments fear that they pose. Modern unions are a necessary tool that acts as a balancing force against the looming threat of little government regulations and profit driven corporations.

Lillian Starchuk is a member of HSAA/NUPGE and a self-identified young worker. Lillian’s essay, In What Ways are Unions Still Important in the Contemporary Workplace?, details the ways unions protect jobs, lead to higher rates of democratization, increase wages for unionized and non-unionized workers, and more.

The importance of unions and collective bargaining agreements were demonstrated during the COVID-19 pandemic, specifically regarding safe-working practices for essential workers. Working as a paramedic myself, I witnessed the precarious working conditions due to shortages of PPE, ambiguous sick time policies, and staffing shortages. These points of contention were alleviated by effective use of the collective bargaining agreement process and union-government arbitration. I am thankful the union stood in solidarity with us throughout the COVID-19 pandemic.