Unions, Treasury Board in talks for public service’s return to workplace after three-month shutdown
Three months into the COVID-19 shutdown that’s seen government offices closed to all but critical workers and thousands of public servants working from home, union leaders say while there’s “no rush” to return to offices—arguing recent weeks have proven telework arrangements don’t hinder performance—they’ve been working closely with the Treasury Board to plan the re-opening […]
Now is the time to protect public services
Every year for one week, the federal government celebrates its more than 300,000 public service employees. It usually comes and goes without too much fanfare, but this year should be different. All Canadians should be encouraged to recognize the public sector workers helping our country weather the brutal impacts of COVID-19. PSAC members who live […]
‘Non-advertising’ hiring up due to feds’ new appointments policy, data shows
The new appointments policy allowing for greater flexibility in the hiring of federal public servants came into effect in April 2016, resulting in a greater number of “non-advertised” hiring compared to formal publicly advertised hiring processes and competitions. The Public Service Commission has reported on an overall increase in non-advertised appointments to 34 per cent […]
Feds seek logistics company to handle huge PPE imports
The federal government is looking for a business partner to handle the distribution of hundreds of shipping containers worth of personal protective equipment at a time, as it seeks to ramp up imports of equipment needed to fight the novel coronavirus. The government put out a tender notice on May 4 through its procurement website, […]
Senate playing catch-up on Centre Block renovation plans, but Red Chamber’s footprint to remain untouched
After a slow start to the year, Senators are playing catch-up on proposed plans for the Centre Block building’s renovation and construction of the final Visitors’ Welcome Centre, with the Upper Chamber’s oversight subcommittee still being formed, but Alberta Senator Scott Tannas says he thinks so long as it gets underway soon, Senators will still […]
‘Quietly competent’ public service during COVID-19 notable, says union president, as stakeholders take stock of bureaucracy’s future role
It’s been an “important year for the public service” and “interesting to see” how Canadians have instinctively turned to the public sector for help, says former top federal bureaucrat Michael Wernick, with the president of Canada’s second largest public sector union saying there are “silver linings” that can come out of how the federal bureaucracy […]
As union members face COVID-19 pandemic ‘head on,’ PSAC calls for feds to return to bargaining table
With union members “facing the pandemic head on” at our borders, in federal penitentiaries, and by processing millions of financial support claims under tight timelines, the head of Canada’s largest federal public service union is calling for the federal government to return to the bargaining table to reach an elusive contract settlement for more than […]
The scramble for PPE: ‘This country has never seen procurement like it is occurring now’
From face masks, to medical gowns, testing kits, ventilators, and beyond, the federal government has been working to secure millions of pieces of medical and personal protective equipment needed in the fight against COVID-19 in a massive, cross-ministry and -jurisdictional collaborative effort that’s been described as “unprecedented” and “24/7” for those involved. “Since the Second […]
PSPC further scales back construction projects, but work on Centre Block continues
Public Services and Procurement Canada has further scaled back ongoing construction work on a range of federal projects since Ontario announced its moratorium on construction in the province, but renovations to the historic Centre Block building continue to crawl ahead. “Based on our own assessments, we had started to demobilize some sites ahead of the […]
Finance Minister Morneau names press secretary
Finance Minister Bill Morneau and team have been busy of late, with the 2020 federal budget delayed as the federal government works to see through economic relief and other measures announced in response to the COVID-19 pandemic, and now helping the minister communicate with the public and media alike is new press secretary Maéva Proteau. […]
