Elections for the Executive Committee of the Visible Minorities Network

The Visible Minorities Network (VMN) is conducting an electronic election process to fill eight (8) National Executive Committee positions for a two-year duration.

Important Dates

The appeal period is from November 17 to November 23, 2021

  • An email will be sent to all visible minorities network members to announce partial results on November 16, 2021

New executive members of the visible minorities network will be announced on December 1, 2021.

Please consult the candidates' biographies for the 2021 Election Campaign.

  • Eligibility

    Membership to Visible Minorities Network (VMN) is voluntary and open to all ESDC employees who share the common goal of a diverse and inclusive workplace however, only members of the VMN who identify as being a visible minority can run for an executive position.

    You must also be a member of the VMN to be eligible to cast a ballot.

    To become a member fill out and submit the membership form.

  • Executive Committee Positions

    Positions available for election are:

    • Co-Chair
    • Secretary
    • Communication officer
    • Western Canada and Territories Regional Representative: 1 position
    • National Capital Region Representative:1 position
    • Quebec Regional Representative: 1 position
    • Ontario Regional Representative: 1 position
    • Atlantic Regional Representative: 1 position

    Note: Chair positions will now be full-time and will be appointed through a nomination process in collaboration with the respective Network Champion and the Network. As a result, the Visible Minority Network Chair position will be subject to an appointment process this winter.

  • Key Dates and Activities

    Here are the principal milestones of the election process with anticipated timeline:

    • Candidacy Submission period: September 16 to October 14, 2021
    • Campaign period: October 22 to November 4, 2021
    • Voting period: November 9 to 10, 2021
    • Appeal Period: November 17 to 23, 2021
  • Mandate

    The Visible Minorities Network (VMN) is an employee-led forum for all ESDC employees across the country. The mandate of the Network is to:

    • Raise awareness about relevant topics to the visible minorities community.
    • Support the building and sustaining of a welcoming, inclusive and representative ESDC.
    • Contribute in breaking down barriers and systemic racism that inhibit the full participation of visible minority members within ESDC.
    • It is also a consultative body for departmental initiatives.
  • Application process

    If you are interested to submit your candidacy, please provide us with the following information:

    • Application & Authorization Form
    • Biography
      • Submit a biography of no more than one hundred and fifty (150) words in the format of your choice, which explains why you should be elected.
      • If you wish to add a photograph of yourself with your biography, please complete the attached Consent and Release form in order to respect the Privacy Notice and to grant us the right to publish it.
      • You can also choose to add an image to your biography. In order to respect the copyrights, make sure you have the proper authorizations.
      • The candidate's biography's will be posted on the Visible Minorities Network page.
    • Experience required Form

    In order to be considered, you must send your biography and the completed forms to the following General Mailbox: na-diversite-ee-diversity-gd@hrsdc-rhdcc.gc.ca by 11:59 pm (Eastern Time) on October 14, 2021.

    Please note that it is your responsibility to ensure that your application is completed and supporting documents are received by the deadline. Candidates that do not respect the deadline or has incomplete documentation will not be considered further.

    A confirmation message will be sent to the candidates to confirm that their nomination has been received by the Diversity and Inclusion Team.

  • Voting Period

    Voting will take place from November 9 at 8:00 am (Eastern Time) to November 10 at 11:59 pm (Eastern Time).

    The votes will be collected electronically, and further details on the voting process will be sent out in a separate email to all eligible voters.

  • Appeal Period

    The appeal period is of a duration of five (5) business days and will be open from November 17 at 8:00 am (Eastern Time) to November 23 at 11:59 pm (Eastern Time).

    If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to send your enquiries to the general information email at: na-diversite-ee-diversity-gd@hrsdc-rhdcc.gc.ca.

Election Officer

Dominique Ngando Moukala was chosen by the members of the executive committee of the Visible Minorities Network to be the election officer for the 2021 elections.

The responsibilities of the Election Officer are:

  • provide support to the Diversity and Inclusion team and the Network Champion;
  • answer questions about the election process and the network;
  • contribute in the nomination, election and appeal reports;
  • ensure integrity and respect of ESDC Code of Conduct throughout the election process.

For more information please visit the Diversity Network Executive Committees – FAQ

Should you have further questions about the election process or have any comments for the Election Officer send an email to the Diversity and Inclusion GD box at: na-diversite-ee-diversity-gd@hrsdc-rhdcc.gc.ca.

Thank you for your ongoing interest and support for ESDC's Visible Minorities Network.

Good luck to all the candidates!

Further details on the election process will be sent out to eligible members in a separate email in the coming weeks.