MPs still figuring out feedback, as key decisions await Centre Block renovation project
Some “key decisions” have to be made soon in the massive project to renovate the Centre Block, but exactly how the House of Commons will ensure Members of Parliament get a chance to weigh in on plans—something Parliamentarians and officials alike have said was lacking in the West Block’s renovation—is still being ironed out. “We […]
‘Job action only way to get this government to move,’ says union president, as CRA members head to strike votes
Job action is the “only way to get this government to move” on contract talks, say union leaders who are gearing up to hold strike votes for 27,500 of its members at the Canada Revenue Agency later this month so that the Liberals “feel the heat” from public servants. “It’s become clear to us that […]
Revamping Centre Block: virtual tools, new levels of collaboration put to use
Four times larger than the West Block renovation project, the mission to revamp the Centre Block building—and build a new underground facility alongside it—is no small feat, and to tackle it, officials have introduced new technologies and levels of collaboration. It’s a “complex project on multiple levels,” said Jennifer Garrett, director general of the Centre […]
Lingering Phoenix issues ‘no surprise’ to union leaders, as annual survey shows increase in pay problems
With the percentage of federal bureaucrats who say they’ve had pay problems thanks to Phoenix on the rise, the leaders of the largest federal public service unions say they’re not surprised, but also “not hopeful” there’s any end in sight. The problem-plagued Phoenix pay system continues to be an issue among respondents to the annual […]
In a world of increasing disparity, it is time for new leaders to come forward
OTTAWA—The passing of former cabinet minister John Crosbie has been the opportunity for much nostalgia, especially among those who knew him best. My sympathies to his family and friends, who were legion: he was both a great Newfoundlander and a great Canadian. I had the opportunity to interview Crosbie on a few occasions; what I […]
‘We’re flying the plane while we build it’: demolition work in Centre Block has begun
A final budget and timeline for the renovation of the iconic Centre Block building have yet to be determined, but work is plowing ahead, with demolition underway from the fourth floor up, which will see those floors stripped down to the building’s bones. “With these kinds of projects, we’re flying the plane while we build […]
‘Still a mess, still needs a lot of work’: Shared Services Canada gets new master under digital government minister
With the responsibility for Shared Services Canada now squarely under Minister of Digital Government Joyce Murray, PIPSC president Debi Daviau says the move seems like “a natural progression towards trying to get a handle on the government of Canada’s IT systems, which everybody knows could really use the attention.” “From my perspective, overall what Shared […]
Public servants still waiting to engage with public service renewal parl sec
More than a month after the prime minister announced Omar Alghabra as his parliamentary secretary for public service renewal, leaders from two of Canada’s larger federal public service unions are still entirely in the dark about the MP’s role and what it means for bureaucrats. Canadian Association of Professional Employees (CAPE) president Greg Phillips—whose union […]
‘He has a lot of work to do’: elusive collective agreement, Phoenix damages loom large for new Treasury Board president
As Canada’s largest federal public sector union remains without a new collective agreement, PSAC national president Chris Aylward says newly appointed Treasury Board President Jean-Yves Duclos “has a lot of work to do” with 140,000 public sector workers still without a contract. But Canada’s former top bureaucrat suggests Mr. Duclos may be a “bit of […]
‘The tail doesn’t wag the dog’: PSAC wants a deal of its own amid ongoing negotiations
In its ongoing push for new collective agreements, the Public Service Alliance of Canada remains committed to reaching an agreement with the government that doesn’t simply “replicate what other federal public administration bargaining agents have negotiated,” according to their submission to the Public Interest Commission. Most of the collective agreements for affected Public Service Alliance […]
