Quebec said to be considering rejoining CCHRA

Vote would take place in September

Having parted ways back in 2010, Quebec’s HR association is said to be ready to vote in September on whether to rejoin the Canadian Council of Human Resources Associations (CCHRA).

The national association has been busy lately, changing its structure with a redesigned philosophy, new set of core principles and new bylaws. And the Ordre des conseillers en ressources humaines agrées (CRHA) has been involved as an observer.

“There’s a lot of value alignment there with Quebec and so we’re excited about the possibility that they may also want to be part of this,” said Roma Thorlakson, chair of both CCHRA and the Human Resource Management Association of Manitoba (HRMAM). “I know that we very much share the same values of one designation and so we see great potential for working together with Quebec.”

Quebec definitely said there was interest, said Anthony Ariganello, CEO of CCHRA and president and CEO of HRMA BC.

“I think they see that the profession is larger than just one province and they feel that it’s better to be recognized and known as an organization or as body that has ties all over Canada and internationally,” he said.

“Quebec recognizes that they’ve been a lone wolf for a number of years but it’d be great to broaden and let their members know that they have an affiliation and maybe even a membership with the CCHRA as part of a national interest…. The likelihood is good and I think they’d be a full member — that’s what they’re considering.”

It’s an important time for CCHRA as it moves the Certified Human Resources Professional (CHRP) designation forward, said Thorlakson.

“To do that, we feel that it’s very important to collaborate together with all the provinces across Canada, so that’s what’s exciting for us right now,” she said. “National collaboration and that diversity of opinions and input that that brings really is what we need to advance our HR profession, both locally and globally.”

Ontario’s Human Resources Professionals Association (HRPA) also decided to leave the national association, back in 2014. As the association gained self-regulated status, the board of directors felt it was moving in a different direction than CCHRA, said Philip Wilson, past chair of HRPA’s board of directors, at the time.

“Basically, we feel that — in the current framework — the resources and the activities that we need to focus on aren’t necessarily the things that CCHRA has in progress or can deliver within their framework.”

There were things HRPA needed to get done that were difficult to do within the constraints facing the council, said Bill Greenhalgh, CEO of the Toronto-based association.

Things have changed very quickly in the year or so since the two parted ways — including the introduction of a three-level designation — that would make it a challenge to rejoin right now, he said, and there are many things the other HR associations really need to do to advance to the point where they’re equivalent.

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