VZCZCXRO0035
PP RUEHGA RUEHHA RUEHMT RUEHQU RUEHVC
DE RUEHOT #1570/01 3531946
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
P 181946Z DEC 08
FM AMEMBASSY OTTAWA
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 8884
INFO RUCNCAN/ALL CANADIAN POSTS COLLECTIVE PRIORITY
RUEHBY/AMEMBASSY CANBERRA PRIORITY 1396
RUEHWL/AMEMBASSY WELLINGTON PRIORITY 0263
RUCNDT/USMISSION USUN NEW YORK PRIORITY 0515

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 OTTAWA 001570 
 
SENSITIVE 
SIPDIS 
 
IO/MPR/SC FOR H. WARD AND USUN/MR FOR M. SCANLON 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PREL AMGT AORC APER UNGA UNGA CA
SUBJECT: CANADA OFFERS ALTERNATE SERVICE CONDITIONS 
HARMONIZATION PLAN 
 
REF: OTTAWA 1556 
 
¶1. (SBU) Summary: Canada supports UN personnel management 
reform, but does not agree with U.S. stance on temporary 
contracts.  Canada also recognizes the urgent need for human 
resources management reform in light of the new challenges to 
UN operations in Afghanistan and Darfur.  Canada remains a 
strong supporter of budget discipline at the UN and welcomes 
the continuing close partnership with the U.S. delegation to 
the UN.  End Summary. 
 
¶2. (SBU) Canada shares the concerns about human resource 
related budget issues expressed by U.S. delegation members in 
New York, according to Department of Foreign Affairs and 
International Trade (DFAIT) United Nations Division Deputy 
Director Shannon-Marie Soni.  In reviewing recent 
developments in personnel management, Soni said that Canada 
welcomed the granting of a special allowance to UN staff 
serving in the UN Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA). 
Canada was pleased to see that the special allowance 
contributed to a reduced UNAMA vacancy rate.  Soni noted, 
however, that the UN granted the special allowance on a 
temporary basis and that it will expire in June 2009.  Canada 
sees little appetite within the Fifth Committee to extend 
special allowances past June 2009, which Canada sees as an 
important reason to work expeditiously to find a compromise 
on the harmonization of conditions of service. 
 
¶3. (SBU) Soni expressed appreciation for the U.S. proposal in 
March and said that the Canadian delegation had been working 
closely with the U.S. delegation in the Fifth Committee to 
find a compromise package that would address U.S. concerns. 
Canada does not agree with the U.S. view that temporary 
contracts should be the single entry mechanism for all staff 
into UN peacekeeping operations.  Soni argued that Canada, 
Australia, and New Zealand have found a consensus among 
&most of the other delegations8 that fixed term or 
continuing contracts would better enable the UN to recruit 
and retain high quality personnel than would temporary 
contracts.  Soni said that Canada does agree that temporary 
field and headquarters UN staff should receive less generous 
benefits than those employees on fixed term contracts, 
however. 
 
¶4. (SBU) Soni described the U.S. as isolated on the temporary 
contracts issue and said that Canada had sought to bridge the 
difference between the U.S. position and the rest of the 
Committee, working with Australia and New Zealand.  The three 
countries are putting forth language to define temporary 
staff as &those undertaking a truly temporary function.8 
(Note: Canada's UN delegation has already shared its draft 
language with the U.S. delegation in New York, according to 
Soni. End note)  Soni explained that these temporary 
functions might include election monitoring, filling in for 
those on maternity or sick leave, or augmenting surge 
requirements.  Soni stressed that Canada does see merit in 
creating a temporary contract system so that the UN can hire 
people for specific tasks without incurring any expectation 
that they would be entitled to future UN employment.  Canada 
estimates that its joint proposal with Australia and New 
Zealand would save about $10 million annually, largely from 
the regular budget. 
 
¶5. (SBU) Begin draft text of Canadian compromise language: 
 
¶33. Decides that temporary appointments are to be used to 
Qappoint staff for seasonal or peak workloads and specific 
short-term requirements for less than one year. 
Exceptionally, temporary appointments could be renewed for a 
maximum of up to one additional year when warranted by 
operational needs related to peacekeeping operations, special 
political missions, humanitarian operations, and emergency 
assistance as well as special projects with finite mandates. 
 
¶34. Decides that staff on temporary contracts would only be 
eligible to receive the following benefits and allowances: 
post adjustment; rental subsidy; hazard pay; hardship; the 
DSA portion of the assignment grant; annual and sick leave 
(depending on length of service); home leave (per 
classification of duty station); and limited shipment 
allowance. 
End draft text. 
 
Visit Canada,s Economy and Environment Forum at 
http://www.intelink.gov/communities/state/can ada 
 
 
OTTAWA 00001570  002 OF 002 
 
 
WILKINS