About the 2023 Public Service Pride Awards
The recipients of the Public Service Pride Awards of Excellence will be announced each August during the Annual Public Service Pride Week. The call for nominations will open in March.
These awards honour individuals, teams and organizations that have demonstrated leadership in promoting and strengthening 2SLGBTQIA+ diversity, inclusion, and pride across the federal public service.
Five (5) Awards will be presented. See below for more information on the Award categories.
Public Service Pride Awards Categories
Agent of Change Award
An award for advocates and leaders who are initiating and driving action to remove systemic barriers and advance the inclusion and integration of 2SLGBTQIA+ communities in the federal public service. This action-oriented individual is amplifying the voices of 2SLGBTQIA+ communities within their department/agency or across the federal family. This individual’s actions will have led to a marked improvement in their workplace.
Pride Network of the Year Award
An award to a departmental or agency pride network that stood out over the course of the year through its work in advancing 2SLGBTQIA+ inclusion across their department or agency.
Workplace Pride Initiative of the Year Award
An award for a novel workplace policy, plan, event or activity that has demonstrated benefit for 2SLGBTQIA+ inclusion in the workplace.
Career Impact Award
An award that recognizes individuals who have made a lasting impact during their career. This individual’s long-standing and active support of 2SLGBTQIA+ communities within the federal public service will have had a cumulative and substantial impact.
New: Department / Agency Award for Excellence in Pride Leadership
An award that celebrates one department or agency who, through sustained organization-wide actions or initiatives has demonstrated exceptional leadership in supporting 2SLGBTQIA+ employees.
For example, this award could recognize a department or agency that has made meaningful improvements to internal processes and procedures relevant to 2SLGBTQIA+ communities or implemented a series of initiatives of benefit to these communities.
Previous Editions of the Public Service Pride Awards
2022 Awards ceremony
2023 Winners
Agent of Change Award
Megan Otu
Fisheries and Oceans Canada
Kaye Low
Veterans Affairs Canada
Major André P. Jean
Canadian Armed Forces / National Defence
Amér Mubaslat
Global Affairs Canada
Andrew Caldwell
Employment and Social Development Canada
Workplace Pride Initiative of the Year Award
Elliott L. Welch Memorial Award
Employment and Social Development Canada
Pride Network Award
3rd CDSB Edmonton Defence Team Pride Advisory Organization
National Defence
Career Impact Award
Andrea Markowski
Correctional Service of Canada
Department / Agency Award for Excellence in Pride Leadership
Justice Canada
2022 Winners
Agent of Change Award
David Beamer, Canada Revenue Agency
Dr. Holly Ellingwood, Public Safety Canada
Lee Nevens, Justice Canada
Lydia Lipic, Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada
Jefferson Morris IV, Treasury Board of Canada Secretariat
Pride Network Award
Defense Team Pride Advisory Organization, Department of National Defense and Canadian Armed Forces
Workplace Pride Initiative of the Year Award
Directive on Inclusive Sanitary Facility Design, Parks Canada
Career Impact Award
Missy Marston-Shmelzer, Canadian Heritage
Pioneer Award
Michelle Douglas, LGBT Purge Fund
2021 Winners
Agent of Change Award
David Da Silva, Global Affairs Canada
Johanne Charest, Canada Border Services Agency
Teresa Joudrie, Indigenous Services Canada
Taryn Husband, Global Affairs Canada
Tamara Lopez, Canada Border Services Agency
Richard Hansen, Canada Revenue Agency
Pride Network Award
Gender and Sexual Diversity Inclusiveness Network, Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada
Workplace Pride Initiative of the Year Award
Universally Accessible Washrooms in Terrasses de la Chaudière Complex
Crown-Indigenous Relations and Northern Affairs Canada, Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission, Indigenous Services Canada, Canadian Heritage
Career Impact Award
Artur Wilczynski, Communications Security Establishment
Guy Desaulniers, Public Service Commission