Federal Budget 2022: The nuts and bolts for CAPE members

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1. Completing the Employment Equity Act review

The government is investing more money to complete the Employment Equity Act review intended to provide advice on how to modernize the federal employment framework in the coming months with a promise to publicize it in the fall. 

CAPE is involved in this process and will be making a written submission to the Task Force.


2. Planned spending and strategic policy review

CAPE takes note of the government’s intention to review previously announced spending inclusion of a strategic review to assess program effectiveness and opportunities to save and reallocate resources. We will be watching this very closely to ensure that any outcome doesn’t come at the detriment of our members. 

CAPE will be keeping a close eye on the 2022 fall economic and fiscal update where the government promises to outline the progress of this initiative. Particularly, a special NEC sub-committee created in early 2022 will closely monitor financial decisions that could have ramifications on our members’ overall employment and benefits.


3. Addressing racism and prioritizing diversity and inclusion

The government is enhancing its work to address racism, and prioritizing diversity and inclusion with investments to fight systemic racism and empower communities. Building on the 2020 Speech from the Throne, to make the public sector more diverse, the government is proposing amendments to the Public Service Employment Act to “affirm the importance of a diverse and inclusive workforce and avoid biases and barriers in staffing processes.”


4. Review of the Public Servants Disclosure Protection Act

The government is taking action to improve government worker whistle-blower protections and supports by launching a review of the Public Servants Disclosure Act.


5. Public Sector Pension Plan governance

The federal government has made a commitment to expand the Public Sector Pension Investment Board from 11 to 13 members, with the board’s new additional seats to be filled by representatives of federal public sector bargaining agents. The government will consult all federal bargaining agents in determining an appropriate process for the selection of these new members.

CAPE welcomes this decision and will continue to keep an eye on the management of our members’ pensions to ensure its protection.


6. Embracing digital government

The government is committed to accelerating and expanding the offering of digital services to Canadians and to improving the ease of use, accessibility, security, consistency, and reliability of government services. 

Budget 2022 confirms the government’s intent to introduce legislative amendments to the Financial Administration Act to enable the Canadian Digital Service to provide its digital platform services more broadly, including to other jurisdictions in Canada, and to clarify its responsibilities under the Privacy Act and Access to Information Act with respect to the services it provides.

CAPE created the Digital Disruption and Transformation Sub-committee in 2021 to analyze the risks and opportunities associated with the federal government's Digital Strategy and will look into how this budget will affect its implementation.


7. Modernization of Canada’s Official Languages Act 

CAPE believes in and supports a bilingual public sector and welcomes Bill C-13 introduced on March 1, 2022, which if passed, will modernize the Official Languages Act. We support the ongoing commitment to promoting official languages and modernizing the Official Languages Act and look forward to engaging with the government on this important topic as we have done it the past.

CAPE has been preoccupied with the state of bilingualism in the Federal workplace and has been working on several fronts to ensure proper measures be taken, including the review and update of the Official Languages Act. Read more about our advocacy work.


8. Fighting systemic racism, discrimination, and hate

With the sharp rise in anti-Asian, anti-Black, and anti-Semitic hate, as well as horrific Islamophobic attacks in recent years, Budget 2022 proposes money to launch a new Anti-Racism Strategy and National Action Plan on Combatting Hate to support the new Special Representative on Combatting Islamophobia, as well as a new Holocaust Museum in Montreal. 

CAPE believes this measure could help strengthen the enforcement of existing law and policy, such as Bill C-65. Advocacy and behavioural change are warranted.


9. Better mental health support, including for Black federal public sector employees 

The mental health of many Canadians has deteriorated since the onset of the pandemic, according to a December 2020 survey by the Canadian Mental Health Association. Some of our members faced and continue to face enormous pressure in dealing with the pandemic, as they are on the front line in rolling out an unprecedented number of government programs created to assist Canadians in a time of need. Others have had to find creative ways to balance young families at home, a sick family member or colleagues – all while ensuring that they continued to deliver the high-quality services Canadians are accustomed to.

Budget 2022 proposes investments for the Wellness Together Canada portal so it can continue to provide Canadians with tools and services to support mental well-being. It also proposes investments for Black-led engagement, design, and implementation of a Mental Health Fund for the Black federal public sector employees.   

The mental well-being of our members, especially during these trying times, remains a priority and CAPE will continue to be a champion for members’ mental health and continue to promote tools and services that support mental well-being.


10. Implementing the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples Act

The United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples is about the respect and recognition of the human rights of Indigenous peoples.

On June 21st, 2021, the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples Act received Royal Assent and came into force. This Act provides a roadmap for the Government of Canada and Indigenous peoples to work together to implement the Declaration based on lasting reconciliation, healing, and cooperative relations.

Through Budget 2022, the government is committing to investing to ensure the full implementation of the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples Act.


11. Phoenix pay system

Budget 2022 doesn’t mention any ongoing support to eliminate the backlog of pay problems. CAPE will be watching for updates from Public Services and Procurement Canada to ensure that its target of eliminating the backlog of Phoenix pay system transactions are done by the end of 2022 as indicated in last year’s federal budget.  

 

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