Public service notebook: A busy election season and a $500-million plan

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Published Nov 14, 2023 • 6 minute read

Canadian flag flies in front of the Peace Tower on Parliament Hill in Ottawa. Photo by The Canadian Press

From an unfair labour practice complaint to the release of a $500-million plan, here are six federal public service updates you need to know.

Government presents plan for $500 million in spending cutsPSAC files unfair labour practice complaint against Parks CanadaFeds spend almost $8 million fighting to dismiss the 2020 Black class action lawsuitJudicial appointments announced in Ontario and QuebecNumber of environmental petitions received by ministers increasesCAPE president steps down amid busy election season

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Table of Contents

1. Government presents plan for $500 million in spending cuts

Treasury Board president Anita Anand at a press conference on Oct. 23, 2023. Photo by Jean Levac /Postmedia

Last week, the federal government unveiled its plan to cut just over $500 million in spending on consulting, professional services and travel across government departments and agencies.

Tabled in the House of Commons on Thursday, Supplementary Estimates (B), 2023–24 offered the first update on the government’s refocusing spending initiative, which aims to cut $15.4 billion over the next five years and $4.5 billion annually after that. Spending on professional services and travel is to be reduced by $7.1 billion over five years starting in 2023–24 and by $1.7 billion annually thereafter, according to the feds.

According to a statement shared by the Treasury Board of Canada Secretariat last week, travel and professional services funding has been “refocused and removed” from the 2023–24 budgets of 68 departments, with additional information on spending cuts to be presented in the 2024–25 Main Estimates and tabled in Parliament by March 1.

Spending documents outlined that the department getting the biggest chop was the Department of National Defence, which saw reductions of just over $211 million, representing 42.2 per cent of the total amount. The departments of public works, foreign affairs, fisheries and oceans and citizenship and immigration also saw major cuts ranging between around $20 million and $34 million. The Federal Economic Development Agency for Northern Ontario saw the smallest cut at $3,000.

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The estimates outlined $20.7 billion in new voted spending to be approved by Parliament, including $500 million to the Department of National Defence for military aid to Ukraine and $2.1 billion to the Treasury Board of Canada Secretariat to compensate for salary adjustments in recently signed collective agreements.

Last week, Treasury Board president Anita Anand also tabled the 2022–23 Departmental Results Reports.

2. PSAC files unfair labour practice complaint against Parks Canada

The Public Service Alliance of Canada flag. Photo by Jean Levac /POSTMEDIA

The Public Service Alliance of Canada has filed an unfair labour practice complaint against Parks Canada after the union said the department refused to provide seasonal and term workers with the lump-sum payments promised in recent bargaining negotiations.

PSAC said government delays in signing the new collective agreement caused 300 Parks Canada members to miss out on the $2,500 lump-sum payments. The agreement was signed on Sept. 26, though contracts for those workers usually end between late August and early September, PSAC said.

“Parks Canada blamed wildfires for the nearly eight-week delay in signing the collective agreement, causing many of the very PSAC members who were on the frontlines fighting these fires to lose out on receiving the $2,500 lump sum payment,” a PSAC statement read. “The Parks Canada bargaining team has made it clear throughout this round of bargaining that this employer’s over-reliance on and abuse of term and seasonal workers is (unacceptable.) Now these same precarious workers will be burned again.”

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PSAC said it wWas arguing that members who had completed their contracts since the ratification of the agreement on Aug. 4 should receive the payments.

3. Feds spend over $7.8 million fighting to dismiss the 2020 Black class action lawsuit

Nicholas Marcus Thompson, executive director of the Black Class Action Secretariat. Photo by Nicholas Marcus Thompson /Handout

The federal government has spent around $7.85 million to challenge a class-action lawsuit filed by Black federal public servants. Filed in December 2020, the uncertified lawsuit seeks $2.5 billion in compensation, alleging workers faced decades of employee exclusion and discriminatory hiring practices.

That number could be even higher, according to Nicholas Marcus Thompson, executive director of the Black Class Action Secretariat, who said that figure was from July.

“It’s disheartening to see the government spending millions fighting Black workers in court, despite having harmed them, rather than investing significantly in implementing solutions to combat discrimination,” Thompson said in a statement released last week. “We strongly urge the government to come to the table with these workers and cease wasting taxpayers’ money on prolonged legal battles.

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In October 2022, the federal government called for a Federal Court judge to dismiss the uncertified class action, arguing workers should pursue other avenues for redress, including filing complaints with the Canadian Human Rights Commission.

“The ballooning legal costs underscore how the federal government continues to publicly claim it is addressing racism and discrimination in the federal public service while continuing to deny justice for Black, racialized and Indigenous workers,” read a PSAC statement, which noted that the amount the feds had spent on fighting the lawsuit was 10 times more than it had invested in implementing the mental health fund for Black federal public servants outlined in Budget 2022.

4. Judicial appointments announced in Ontario and Quebec

Three judicial appointments were announced in Ontario and Quebec this month. GETTY IMAGES

The minister of justice and attorney general of Canada, Arif Virani, has announced three new judicial appointments. Since taking on the position in late July, Virani has made 42 appointments.

Sally A. Gomery, a judge of the Superior Court of Justice of Ontario in Ottawa, was appointed a judge of the Court of Appeal for Ontario in Toronto, replacing Justice M.H. Tulloch, who was appointed chief justice of Ontario on Dec. 15, 2022.

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Jonathan Dawe, a judge of the Superior Court of Justice of Ontario in Toronto, was appointed a judge of the Court of Appeal for Ontario in Toronto, replacing Justice M.-L. Benotto, who elected to become a supernumerary judge effective Jan. 1, 2023.

Isabelle Boillat, a judge of the Court of Quebec in Chicoutimi, was appointed to the Superior Court of Quebec for the district of Chicoutimi, replacing Justice M. Dallaire, who elected to become a supernumerary judge as of Sept. 2, 2023.

5. Number of environmental petitions received by ministers increases

The Environment Canada Building, located at 4905 Dufferin St. in Toronto. Photo by Peter J. Thompson /Postmedia

A report released last week by Canada’s commissioner of the environment and sustainable development found that the number of environmental petitions received by federal ministers had increased since last year, rising to 28 from 14.

The commissioner’s annual report indicated that, from July 1, 2022 to June 30, 2023, the Office of the Auditor General of Canada received 28 environmental petitions on issues including the monitoring of greenhouse gas emissions, construction activities, electromagnetic hypersensitivity and pesticide use.

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The report found that, while 24 federal departments and agencies received petitions requesting a response, Environment and Climate Change Canada saw the highest number, receiving 14 petitions. Health Canada was close behind, receiving 12 petitions. Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada received seven petitions, with the National Capital Commission and Transport Canada both receiving five.

Last year, the OAG received 14 environmental petitions during the same time period, discussing issues from the protection of endangered species to compliance with and enforcement of environmental laws and regulations.

6. CAPE president steps down amid busy election season

Camille Awada, former president of the Canadian Association of Professional Employees. Photo by Handout

The president of the Canadian Association of Professional Employees (CAPE), Camille Awada, submitted his resignation last week after antisemitic social media posts dating back to 2018 and 2019 began circulating among members. Awada stepped in as president after Greg Phillips resigned earlier this year.

At a special meeting, the union’s national executive committee designated vice-president Scott Crawford to take on the role until Dec. 31, 2023. Jonathan Brulotte was named vice-president until the same date.

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“CAPE’s National Executive Committee strongly condemns antisemitic statements made by its former president on his personal social media in years past,” a CAPE statement read. “The National Executive Committee unequivocally apologizes to any members, staff or the public who are adversely impacted by the statements.”

Awada’s resignation took place amid a busy election season at CAPE, with multiple candidates running for each position.

According to the union, all National Executive Committee positions, including 30 president, vice-president and director positions, are up for grabs, with the election to run from Nov. 30 to Dec. 13, following an annual general meeting on Nov. 29. The elected candidates will take on the roles for a three-year mandate from January 2024 to December 2026.

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