Today’s throne speech laid out a wide range of initiatives and programs to support Canadians, defend our sovereignty and expand our internal and international relationships. To succeed, these commitments will all require a strong federal workforce that attracts top talent.
“The massive commitments the government just made to Canadians will mean nothing if we don’t invest in federal public sector workers,” said CAPE President Nathan Prier. “The public sector is the backbone of government, which means we need to reverse the ideological policies of the last administration that actively undermined it.”
CAPE is pressing the government to focus its operational budget cuts where they will have the biggest impact. This means reducing the federal real estate footprint by expanding remote work rights, and slashing spending on expensive external contractors. Arbitrary austerity measures that lead directly to record-shattering outside consultant costs must be reined in.
CAPE is also calling for any implementation of new technology and artificial intelligence to be rolled out carefully to help deliver on these commitments. Canada must avoid a disastrous rush to introduce untested technology, particularly given the ongoing disaster of the Phoenix pay system.
CAPE members are ready to defend Canada’s national sovereignty, protect the interests of Canadians, and expand Canada’s international footprint. This means federal workers must be given the resources to get the job done.
