Not open to interpretation: virtual Parliament exacerbates pre-existing issues with vital service
Parliament’s shift to hybrid virtual proceedings as a result of COVID-19 has led to a spike in injuries for Hill interpreters, and in turn, has exposed and exacerbated pre-existing shortfalls with the “essential” service—shortfalls that MPs, industry advocates, and others are looking to address. “It [COVID] has certainly exacerbated the underlying issue of the challenges […]
Diversity and inclusion: public service hirings, promotions and separations
With the clerk of the Privy Council’s call to action on anti-racism, equity, and inclusion in the federal public service, the related 2020/2021 deputy minister commitments on diversity and inclusion, the president of the Treasury Board supplementary mandate letter, and the Public Service Commission’s audit of employment equity representation in recruitment, the government has aligned the […]
AstraZeneca vaccine approval to give Canada ‘greater flexibility’ in distributing doses widely, says health official
Health Canada’s approval of the AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine on Friday will give Canada “greater flexibility” in distributing supplies more widely across the country once it starts to receive the more than 20 million doses on order, say federal officials. The two-dose AstraZeneca vaccine co-developed with Oxford University can be stored at refrigerated temperatures and has […]
Ottawa making ‘good progress’ modernizing procurement, but auditor finds more training needed
The federal government has absorbed the lessons from the Phoenix-payroll fiasco and has made “good progress” modernizing its procurement approach to be more agile, says Canada’s auditor general, in a report examining major projects. Still, with “limited or non-existent” training for staff on Ottawa’s new approach to agile procurement, federal Auditor General Karen Hogan’s office […]
A week of frosty strolls and dire variant warnings
RCMP, union stand behind plan to deploy body-worn cameras for front-line officers, but critics warn drawbacks may outweigh benefits
The federal government, the RCMP’s top brass, and the police force’s union are all squarely behind a recent push to see more than 10,000 body-worn cameras deployed nationwide to help “pull the police services into the 21st century,” says the force’s union head, while others have questioned its perceived benefits. Brian Sauvé, president of the […]
Davie shipyard funding more equitable since 2015, but long-term contracts needed for stability, say experts
As federal shipbuilding funds for the Quebec-based Chantier Davie shipyard have increasingly become more equitable in comparison to Nova Scotia’s Irving shipyard and B.C.’s Seaspan shipyard, Quebec MPs are pushing for more contracts for the shipyard and for it to be formally brought into the National Shipbuilding Strategy. The lack of funds for Davie shipyard […]
‘It’s long overdue’: unions, FBEC weigh in on top leadership’s push for greater diversity, inclusion in federal public service
Union leaders and a Federal Black Employee Caucus representative say the steps are “long overdue,” following Privy Council Clerk Ian Shugart’s recent “call to action” to senior bureaucrats to diversify the leadership ranks in the federal public service, and Treasury Board President Jean-Yves Duclos’ recent announcement to increase diversity and inclusion within the larger bureaucracy and address […]
Federal cybersecurity workers heading for strike votes following bargaining impasse
Federal cybersecurity workers at Canadas’s Communications Security Establishment are gearing up for strike votes following the collapse of bargaining talks after nearly two years at the table with the federal government in pursuit of a new collective agreement. The Communications Security Establishment (CSE) is responsible for foreign intelligence cybersecurity and is one of Canada’s key […]
Freelance translators raise concerns over proposed terms of new contract
Consultations are underway for a new contract for federal freelance interpreters, with their association sounding the alarm that conditions being considered could put them more at risk. With fewer staff available to cover virtual proceedings, and in need of more breaks to address injuries sustained over the last 10 months, according to the Canadian chapter […]
