Wednesday, February 23, 2022
Timna Ben-Ari, Labour Relations Specialist and one of the staff supports for the union’s equity caucuses, recently sat down with Justin Tai, a Policy Advisor with the Ministry of Labour, Training and Skills Development and the recently appointed Chair of the LGBTQ+ Caucus, for a question-and-answer session. Ben-Ari and Tai discussed the Fireside Chat coming up this Friday, February 25, what drew Tai to take on a leadership role within the Caucus, and his message for AMAPCEO members considering joining the community.
Timna Ben-Ari: Hi Justin! Thanks so much for joining me today. To start, why don’t you tell us what drew you to join the LGBTQ+ Caucus at AMAPCEO?
Justin Tai: The possibility for change is what drew me to the caucus. Being an immigrant, racialized, and queer, equity has always been of great interest to me. I have experienced firsthand how discrimination—in the form of homophobia, racism, and xenophobia—can affect a person’s wellbeing and growth both at work and outside of work.
While the queer community has achieved many milestones, including the legalization of same sex marriage and the recognition of common-law partnerships in AMAPCEO’s collective agreement, the fight is far from over. The activist movements that brought us here today will help us continue to advocate for changes such as trans rights and tackling hidden discrimination and unconscious biases in our workplaces.
TBA: That’s such a thoughtful answer on why the Caucus is so important. And that reminds me, I want to offer you a belated congratulation on your new role within the Caucus — you were appointed as Chair in September 2021. Can you tell us what inspired you to take on a leadership role?
JT: Well, I think there were two factors. The first is that I believe being the Chair of the LGBTQ+ Caucus would allow me to help build a stronger network of LGBTQ+ members so that we have a collective voice in AMAPCEO. But equally important to me is the opportunity to support each other in our own journey of self-discovery and resiliency.
TBA: What the Caucus has planned for 2022? Is there anything you are especially excited about?
JT: To ensure our activities continue to meet the needs of our communities and AMAPCEO, the Caucus leadership team has recently developed a strategic plan. I’m excited to say that going forward, the LGBTQ+ Caucus will focus on activities that:
- connect people to promote learning, understanding, and respect;
- advise AMAPCEO on LGBTQI2S issues and explore possible solutions; and
- support caucus members to build a stronger sense of community
To those ends, we have scheduled some fireside chats to kick off 2022. Our first Fireside Chat of the year will be held this Friday, February 25 at noon ET. The focus for this week’s event is to give all participants an opportunity to share their lived experience with each other, and to recognize everyone’s journey in discovering their own sexualities and identities.
We are also in the process of planning a photovoice project for the summer to raise awareness of LGBTQ+ issues in the workplace through art and community engagement. I cannot wait for you to participate in this project or to see the result, so stay tuned for more information in the coming months!
TBA: Thanks, Justin. We’ll keep a look out for more info on that for sure! My final question is if there is a specific message would you like to share with members of the LGBTQ+ community or members of AMAPCEO who are considering joining the LGBTQ+ Caucus?
JT: My main message is: join us! Our Caucus is a small community within AMAPCEO that is part of a larger network of equity caucuses established in 2015 to advise AMAPCEO executives on issues of importance to different equity groups. But we are so much more than that! From fun social events to engagement opportunities with AMAPCEO, we are here to help you connect with other members and build a stronger community.
A special thing about the LGBTQ+ Caucus is that we represent many diverse communities within a community. Each one of us has a unique journey, and we like to celebrate all of them whether you are trans, gay, lesbian, bisexual, two spirited, queer, or if you are simply exploring your sexualities or identities.