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Members
Paul de Rege - A Sad Loss
 Paul
de Rege, a respected colleague and good friend to so many of us, passed
away on Friday September 12, 2003.
Paul worked as a systems officer in the Regional
Support Services Unit and had many friends throughout the Ontario Public
Service. As an OPSEU Union Steward for the Local 527, he was passionate
about social issues and helped to lift the spirits of staff wherever he
went. As an example, Paul prepared an emergency resolution encouraging
OPSEU conventioneers to have their lunches and meals at Chinese restaurants
to combat the SARS scare.
Friends, family and colleagues gathered together on Wednesday, September
17th at the Lynett Funeral Home for a moving service.
Paul will be greatly missed.
A Message from Rod Sawyer
(President OPSEU Local 527)
* This is the text of the e-mail which
Rod Sawyer sent to Local 527 Stewards, OPSEU board members and staff regarding
Paul de Rege.
Hello Local 527 Stewards, OPSEU board members
and staff, and friends, it is with regret I must advise you that Paul
de Rege passed away on Friday September 12, 2003.
L527 stewards, please advise all members of
the Local by forwarding this email. Paul de Rege was a passionate member
of our Local. Until recently he was a steward and the Local's Secretary.
He contributed greatly to the Local and OPSEU and will be remembered by
many of our members. At work, he worked at the Ministry of Citizenship's
Regional Support Services Unit at 123 Edward Street where he was a Systems
Officer. There he earned a solid reputation for helping colleagues by
resolving data and database problems and getting priority work done for
the three ministries his unit serves. Paul contributed and helped Local
527 and its members in many ways and was very passionate about helping
people and supporting labour issues. During the OPS strike, Paul was particularly
active. He automated the Local's payroll, a labour of love and hard work
that greatly helped us to pay members who supported the strike through
picketing, phone tree work and other strike activity. He served as treasurer
for the OPSEU Region 5 (Toronto) Downtown Locals strike headquarters.
He was there on the picket line through many cold, wet days providing
cheer and helping us all out. Paul's contributions included ideas, energy
and time. He wrote and edited Local resolutions to the OPSEU convention,
including in human rights areas and on the United Way. During the most
recent OPSEU convention, he prepared an emergency resolution encouraging
OPSEU conventioneers to have their lunches and meals at Chinese restaurants
to combat the SARS scare. He handled grievances on behalf of Local members.
He investigated issues like benefits members were inquiring about and
drafted thoughtful and informative responses. He worked on behalf of members
on the Ministry of Citizenship's Joint Health and Safety Committee, and
helped draft accident investigation questions in that role among other
contributions. He was an inaugural union member of the Ministry of Citizenship's
Local Employee Relations Committee for 400 University and 123 Edward Street.
He represented his members as steward, including in Regional Support Services
and previous to that, as steward for the 6th floor at 400 University Ministry
of Citizenship.
He served as a Local 527 representative on
the Toronto district Labour Council. One of his most recent and major
accomplishments was organizing and coordinating the OPSEU part of the
City of Toronto's 2003 Pride parade. Paul had a keen sense of humour,
observational skills and loving nature. He shared these with us both at
work and in the union. He was warm and accepting. He had a sense of fun,
this came out in his observations and banter, at work and in many other
ways, he decorated his workspace with fake grape vines for instance. He
was immensely proud of his Italian heritage. He enjoyed eating out at
restaurants, and had a particular love for Chinese greens, introducing
many of us to this delicacy. His keen sense of social justice led him
to support the underdog and be supportive of members in need. He played
an active role in enabling OPSEU and the union movement to develop a greater
sense of awareness for gay and lesbian issues, took part in Labour Day
parades and encouraged the union movement to reach out to other groups.
Family, a sense of family and friends were important to Paul. Recently,
Paul had been going through some difficult times. We will have to go on
now without Paul. I know he loved and appreciated his friends and the
many people he met through his activities. He will want the Local to remain
strong. We will remember Paul and some very good times we shared with
him.
I have some details on services for Paul:
Visitation
There will be a visitation for Paul on Tuesday Sept 16 from 6 p.m. to
9 p.m. A number of Local members are already planning to attend this.
The address is:
Lynett Funeral Home
3299 Dundas Street West
This is located one block east of Runnymede on Dundas Street West.
Funeral
The Funeral will take place on Wednesday Sept 17 at 10 a.m. It will be
at the Chapel of the Lynett Funeral Home, 3299 Dundas Street West. This
will be followed by burial at Mount Hope Cemetary. There will then be
a Reception back at the Funeral Home.
Donations
Envelopes for donations will be at the Funeral Home. Paul's choice of
charity is the Centre for Social Justice and the Local will make a donation
to this. There will also be an envelope for donations to the Canadian
Mental Health Association and donations can also be made to one of Paul's
favourite organizations, CLGRO, or Coalition for Lesbian and Gay Rights
in Ontario. (Should there be any updates or corrections, the Local will
provide them).
In solidarity, and with great regret - Rod
Rod Sawyer
President,
OPSEU Local 527
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