Monique – A name that people remember

Monique started at the Canada Revenue Agency (CRA) over 50 years ago, as a stenographer at what was then called the Department of National Revenue. It was an era without computers or printers; everything was handwritten on carbon-loaded forms. Notices of assessment, tax forms, even time sheets were all done manually. Tens of millions of documents were mailed and stored in boxes each year. Life at Canada’s federal tax department was very different.

“I was hired straight out of college,” Monique recalls. “I was just 17, too young to pay into my pension since you had to be 18 for that. I’ve been with the Agency ever since. Back then, everything was written down, and graphic artists created all our forms by hand.”

Throughout her career, Monique has held various roles but spent much of her time managing print supply operations. This job is critical for an agency that prints and mails tens of millions of documents for individuals and businesses each year. The print shops also handle outsourced printing for forms and guides – basically everything that is mass printed at the Agency.

“It takes an army to provide the amount of paperwork we deal with at the Agency,” Monique says. “Before the shift to digital, we printed between 90 to 100 million pieces of mail each year. Now, it’s down to 72 million, and that number will continue to drop as we move more processes online.”

Monique’s early work involved creating accounting units for print-to-mail, managing enormous budgets, invoices, payments and mountains of paper. The CRA’s current vision includes putting people first. Monique lived this vision long before it existed.

“I wasn’t afraid to learn; I wanted to grow,” she says. “In the '90s, when computers were introduced, many people retired. I decided to adapt. I had no background in technology or numbers, but I learned everything the hard way, and I enjoyed it.”

As things changed, Monique would learn new systems and create processes for everything from job descriptions to procedures, including processes for providing print products in alternative formats like braille, audio, e-text, and large print. She also handled the procurement of forms, guides, envelopes, inventory management, print-to-mail correspondence design, and training employees. The team she manages grew from a few employees to around 35 who handle these services for internal clients.

“When you create and fine-tune processes, you really understand how everything connects with other programs,” Monique says. "To manage print-to-mail, you need knowledge of finance, HR, IT, and communications. Some people change jobs to learn, but I didn’t. Being in charge of mailouts, I had to learn the ropes quickly and made countless allies across the Agency.”

“Print-to-mail is always changing, and the knowledge I’ve gained has helped many, from printer operators to the Minister’s Office! If I had a nickel for every time someone said, ‘Ask Monique, she’ll know!’ I’d be rich! But I do it because I love helping and teaching people. I enjoy guiding them through complex print projects and ensuring they feel supported. It truly takes a team to handle all of CRA’s mailouts.”

Monique is proud of a career that has allowed her to train and support so many people.

“I know what stress feels like, and I want to help people avoid that panic,” she says. “I’m currently training team leads, passing on everything I’ve learned. They need the exposure to know how to handle different issues that come up, and I’m beside them every step of the way.”

While Monique has no plans to retire, she feels good about the next generation of leaders she’s helped train. “They’re really good,” she says. “They care, and they understand that sometimes systems break down, and they might need to work evenings or weekends. When you’re handling this much paper, whether through the mail or digitally, you need people who care, and we have that at the Agency.”