Sask Polytech employee and Reservist Lieutenant Colonel Guinevere Bourque wrote the nomination.
Saskatchewan Polytechnic strives to put students first in everything it does. But
as an employer of choice, Sask Polytech recognizes one of the best ways to help students
succeed is by supporting our faculty and staff. For Guinevere Bourque, the support
she has received to pursue her military career alongside her professional career has
been remarkable. So much so that she was moved to nominate Sask Polytech for the Canadian
Forces Liaison Council Employer Support Awards.
“I have been a member of the Primary Army Reserve for 24 years and I have always benefitted from excellent support from my family and my employers. Over the past 16 years however the support I have received from Saskatchewan Polytechnic goes beyond the norm,” says Bourque.
The awards celebrate employers who go above and beyond to recognize and support the work Canadian Reservists do for their country through approved leave of absence, policies and other organizational efforts. Dr. Larry Rosia, Sask Polytech’s president and CEO, says winning the award is an honour.
“Supporting our employees in the work they do outside of the institution helps to foster a stronger sense of community at Sask Polytech,” says Rosia. “We are very proud of the men and women who balance their work at Sask Polytech and their duties within the Canadian Forces. We are happy to help them achieve success in all that they do.”
Sask Polytech has added a line within the Collective Bargaining Agreement that allows employees time off to attend military training and operations. The same support is extended to students through a policy that makes academic accommodations for students in the Reserve Force.
For Lt. Col. Bourque, Sask Polytech’s willingness to be flexible when she has had to leave for military purposes is a big reason why she has been able to succeed in achieving her military and career goals.
“If was not for Sask Polytech, I likely would not have had the opportunity to complete all my military courses, including the Joint Command and Staff Program. I also likely would not have had the opportunity to deploy to Afghanistan and had the comfort of knowing I had my job to come back to,” says Bourque.
The provincial award was presented to Sask Polytech on January 19 and the National
Award will be presented to Dr. Rosia on May 25.
Published February 2017.