Inside the Campaign: new book offers a rare glimpse into the inner workings of elections
Most Canadians are familiar with the final products of political campaigns, from party platforms to political ads, but much goes on behind the scenes to get those wheels in motion—and keep the wheels of government turning in the meantime—the details of which only a comparative few understand, and which a new book seeks to demystify. “The […]
Senators laud performance of public service amidst pandemic, and Harder calls for greater ‘risk taking and innovation’ by bureaucrats
As Canadians now enter the second month of self-isolation amidst the COVID-19 pandemic, the federal public service is winning accolades for its efforts to help citizens while the fast-changing crisis has strained the civil service’s front-line capacity. Lori MacDonald, senior associate deputy minister of employment and social development and chief operating officer for Service Canada, […]
‘Essential’ Hill workers told to bring ID, permission slip in wake of Quebec border crackdown
Hill workers crossing the bridge between Ottawa and Gatineau, Que., are being told to bring ID and a form proving they have a right to cross the provincial border for work after Quebec’s April 1 order banning all non-essential travel to the province as it broadened efforts to stamp the deadly spread of coronavirus. The […]
Chief HR officer works to quell confusion, asks departments to identify, update ‘critical’ services lists
The federal government has offered up some clarity to departments and public service unions after confusion over what constitutes “critical” versus “essential” work arose following an initial directive to all public service departments to allow staff to work from home where possible. On March 13, President of the Treasury Board Jean-Yves Duclos (Québec, Que.) issued […]
Construction work continues on Parliament Hill, with new precautions
Parliament is adjourned amid heightened self-isolation measures to try to “flatten the curve” of COVID-19’s spread, but construction work, including work related to the Centre Block building’s massive renovation, continues, albeit with some health and safety modifications. On March 12, all Public Services and Procurement Canada (PSPC) staff, along with all employees working on current […]
Situation ‘changing hourly’ as feds, unions, public service contend with COVID-19 work-from-home confusion
With calls from the prime minister for Canadians to stay at home in the face of COVID-19, union leaders say they are aware of some concerns being raised by federal public servants regarding confusing messaging from some government departments around telework conditions, and that they’re raising issues with the Treasury Board as they come up. […]
BOIE settles on reno feedback forum, initial list of sacred Centre Block spaces to preserve
Before it adjourned amid COVID-19 precautions, the House of Commons’ Board of Internal Economy struck a new subcommittee to oversee Centre Block renovations and ruled out the possibility of expanding the existing House Chamber, among other things. Only representatives from recognized parties in the House—those with at least 12 sitting MPs—were involved in those decisions. […]
MPs considering joint House-Senate group to oversee Centre Block renovations
Members of Parliament are considering creating a joint group with Senators to oversee plans for Centre Block’s renovation, but not all MPs are convinced. The House of Commons’ Board of Internal Economy (BOIE) is holding a special meeting on March 12 to finalize plans for a new governance body to supervise the massive project to […]
Taxation employee union files ‘bad faith bargaining’ charge against CRA as PSAC gears up for strike votes
The fourth anniversary of the problem-plagued Phoenix pay system has come and gone, and as Canada’s largest federal public sector union remains without a new contract, union leaders are busy gearing up for strike votes across the country. And in the midst of rallies and sit-ins across Canada, the Public Service Alliance of Canada’s second […]
When it comes to public service renewal, the future is green
The climate crisis facing our communities, our country, and our planet, cries out for collective action on a scale never before attempted. This crisis has inspired calls for a Green New Deal here in Canada, and in the United States. It has made a Green Deal the top commitment of the incoming European Commission presidency. […]
