The Ontario Provincial Council of Machinists (OPCM) proudly held its 62nd Annual Convention in North Bay, Ontario, bringing together delegates, officers, staff, and members from across the province for three days of education, discussion, elections, and solidarity.
The convention officially began on Friday with opening remarks from OPCM President Dean O’Reilly, who welcomed delegates and highlighted the importance of unity and member engagement in strengthening the union movement. Attendees also received introductory reports from the host committee, providing an overview of the convention agenda and activities.
Delegates then heard from David Chartrand, General Vice-President of IAM Canada, who spoke about the challenges and opportunities facing workers across the country and the importance of continued advocacy on behalf of members. His address was followed by remarks from Ralph Martin, who provided updates on IAM Canada’s initiatives and discussed the ongoing efforts to support members throughout North America.
Saturday’s sessions focused on education, leadership, and organizing. Delegates participated in a presentation by Chris Carpenter from the Workers Health & Safety Centre (WHSC). The convention also featured the election of new OPCM officers, an important milestone that will help guide the organization over the coming term.
A Political Action Workshop led by Derek Ferguson, IAM International Representative, provided delegates with an overview of Canada’s current political landscape and the issues affecting working people across the country. This was followed by a presentation from Paul Hicks on the growing impact of misinformation, highlighting the importance of critical thinking, member engagement, and political awareness in today’s rapidly evolving information environment.
Organizing remained a central theme throughout the day. Delegates participated in an Organizing Workshop facilitated by Rootisha Rampat, Roy Bhansingh and Scott Jackson. The session included practical organizing strategies, discussions on member outreach, and an interactive organizing quiz.
The day’s educational programming concluded with a Health and Safety presentation delivered by Rick Sansom, reinforcing the union’s ongoing commitment to protecting workers and promoting safer workplaces.
On Sunday, delegates gathered for the swearing-in ceremony of the newly elected OPCM officers, marking the beginning of a new chapter for the organization. The ceremony celebrated the dedication of those elected to serve and reaffirmed the council’s commitment to representing and advocating for IAM members across Ontario.
The newly elected OPCM officers are (see picture below):
- President: Paul Hicks
- Recording Secretary: Marcia Stone
- Secretary Treasurer: Heather Kohli
- Communicator: Sabiha Khan
- Health and Safety Coordinator: Rick Sansom
- Human Rights Coordinator: Idelfonzo Rodrigues-Sevilla
- Educator Coordinator: Valerie Roberts
- Legislative Coordinator: Mike Crilly
- Youth Coordinator: Jason Macewaen
- Retired members Coordinator: Mark Pacilla
- Area 1 VP: Sabrina Piombia
- Area 2 VP: Nneka Nwachukwu
- Area 3 VP: Marc Vaillancourt
- Area 4 VP: Dean O’Reilly
- Area 5 VP: Ken Atterbury
- Area 6 VP: Mike Cooke
- Trustee Mike Edwards
- Trustee Gurpreet Virk
- Trustee Lystra Mohamed
Send a letter to the Government: it only takes a minute. It calls for an end to the misuse of Section 107 of the Canada Labour Code, which is being used to interfere with free and fair collective bargaining. This misuse undermines your right to strike and weakens workers’ constitutional protections while favouring employers: