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Prime Minister Carney’s new cabinet must put public services first

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The Carney government has named its first cabinet – now we have to make ensure protecting public services are at the core of their work.

Cabinet ministers make decisions every day that impact the public services people in Canada rely on and the workers who provide them. Each minister must ensure that supporting public services is a top commitment if we are to build a strong foundation against tariffs and economic uncertainty.

This cabinet includes key ministers and Secretaries of State who will have an important role in the delivery of public services, and PSAC will be pushing for these issues to be priorities and will keep members updated on how they will be impacted.

“This is a pivotal moment for our new government as workers in Canada face a cost-of-living crisis and families grapple with the impact of tariffs on our jobs and economy,” said Sharon DeSousa, PSAC National President. “Protecting the public services people rely on has to be at the heart of everything we do, and cabinet has a vital role to play in strengthening our public service and supporting the workers who deliver them.”

 

PSAC is calling for:

  • Strong, well-funded public services;
  • Enacting improvements to Canada’s Employment Equity Act and delivering justice for marginalized workers who have endured decades of discrimination.

The ministerial role of Government Transformation, Public Works and Procurement could be especially important in ensuring these issues are addressed.

“We support building an efficient, modern and robust federal public service, but we expect to be consulted and be part of an open dialogue about government transformation,” said DeSousa. “Major changes to the way the government operates will inevitably impact public services and the workers who deliver them.”

 

We’ll be seeking clarity about Minister Lightbound’s mandate and its impact on the future of Canada’s public service and plans to cap the size of government.

We are also disappointed that labour issues and workers’ rights haven’t been prioritized as a key portfolio in Prime Minister Carney’s central cabinet. While we look forward to advocating for workers with Secretary of State John Zerucelli, the lack of a voice for labour in a core cabinet position will mean there’s less of a focus on workers and families, especially the most vulnerable and precarious workers.

PSAC is also concerned about the lack of portfolios to address systemic barriers for many equity groups across the country, including anti-racism, 2SLGBTQIA+ communities, and persons with disabilities.

 

Key cabinet positions with an important role in the delivery of public services include:

  • President of the Treasury Board, Shafqat Ali
  • Minister of Government Transformation, Public Works and Procurement, Joël Lightbound
  • Minister of Jobs and Families, Patty Hajdu
  • Minister of Public Safety, Gary Anandasangaree
  • Minister of National Defence, David J. McGuinty
  • Minister of Women and Gender Equality, Rechie Valdez
  • Minister of Artificial Intelligence and Digital Innovation, Evan Solomon
  • Secretary of State (Labour), John Zerucelli

 

Together, we’ll ensure public service workers are respected, and the services people rely on are protected.

This article was first published on the PSAC website.

PSAC’s 2025 Scholarship Program is now open

The program consists of 24 scholarships, including:

  • 14 scholarships for dependent children of current PSAC members, who will be attending full-time studies at a recognized post-secondary institution in the fall of 2025;
  • three scholarships for PSAC members who will be registered in full-time studies at a recognized post-secondary institution in the fall of 2025;
  • two scholarships for PSAC members who will be registered in part-time studies at a recognized post-secondary institution in the fall of 2025;
  • five scholarships for members or dependents of members who self-ID as a woman, Indigenous, person with a disability, racially visible or 2SLGBTQIA+.
  • Deadline: June 23, 2025, at 11:55 p.m. ET

Application details:

PSAC Scholarship Program guidelines

Online application form

Applicants are required to submit a 750- to 850-word essay, a YouTube video, infographic, song, or other original creative work answering the scholarship question. This year’s questions focus on:

  • For members: Beyond Accommodations – Transforming Union Culture: How can PSAC shift from reactive accommodations to proactively designing accessible workplaces, relationships, events, and campaigns? Provide practical examples illustrating this transformation.
  • For children of members: What does solidarity mean to you? and how can youth contribute to building fair and just workplaces for the future?

All submissions must be original and under five minutes in length. Sources used must be cited to avoid plagiarism.

Applicants must either be a PSAC member in good standing or the dependent child of a PSAC member in good standing as of March 31, 2025.

View the list of 2024 scholarship winners.

We look forward to receiving your application!

This article was first published on the PSAC website.

Asian Heritage Month: Celebrating diversity and sharing our stories

Asian Heritage Month is an opportunity to honour the diverse histories, cultures and contributions of Asian communities across Canada. Officially recognized in 2002, this month invites us to celebrate the achievements of people of Asian descent and reflect on the challenges they continue to face – from discrimination to underrepresentation in leadership roles.

Asian Canadians have played an important role in shaping Canada’s labour history – from Chinese railway workers and Japanese fishermen in the 1800s to the recent contributions of activists from the Migrant Workers Alliance for Change and Justice for Migrant Workers who advocate for the rights of migrant and temporary foreign workers across the country.

While we have made progress to build inclusion and dismantle racism and discrimination in Canada, anti-Asian racism and other forms of discrimination persist in our workplaces, unions and communities.

As a union, PSAC is committed to continue fighting for safer and more inclusive workplaces and communities. This fight requires action from all levels of government, institutions, unions, and allies.

Share your story

This Asian Heritage Month, we invite PSAC members of Asian descent to share their stories and experiences. By amplifying these voices, we foster dialogue, promote awareness and strengthen our union’s commitment to social justice.

Together, let’s use this month as a catalyst for lasting progress – building a union and a country rooted in equity, inclusion and solidarity for the future.

This article was first published on the PSAC website.

Jewish Heritage Month: Celebrating Jewish history and amplifying members’ voices

May is Jewish Heritage Month, an opportunity to celebrate the vibrant history, culture, and outstanding contributions of Jewish Canadians in the labour movement and society. Jewish Canadians have been at the forefront of the fight for workplace rights and justice, helping to secure many of the protections we benefit from today.

Jewish Canadians have made significant contributions to Canadian labour history, especially in the early 20th century. Many worked in garment factories in cities like Montreal and Toronto, where they became leaders in union organizing and labour activism. They helped establish strong unions such as the International Ladies’ Garment Workers’ Union and fought for fair wages, better working conditions, and social justice.

Jewish labour activists also played key roles in broader movements for workers’ rights and anti-racism initiatives. Their legacy continues in Canada’s strong tradition of labour organizing and progressive social advocacy. From leading garment worker strikes to championing fair wages and safe conditions, Jewish Canadians have played a pivotal role in building a more just and equitable workplace for all.

Fighting for safer workplaces 

As we reflect on these achievements, PSAC reaffirms its commitment to recognize the contributions of Jewish Canadian workers and oppose antisemitism and all forms of hate in our workplaces, our union, and our communities.

PSAC will soon launch new training tools for union leaders focused on identifying, addressing, and preventing antisemitism in our workplaces and within PSAC, including resources to help all members recognize and oppose antisemitism, fostering safer and more supportive environments for everyone.

Celebrating Jewish Canadian history is not just about honouring the past – it’s about our commitment to equality. Throughout Jewish Heritage Month, PSAC will amplify Jewish members’ voices by sharing their stories, fostering understanding, and inspiring solidarity across our union.

Share your story

Together, let’s honour Jewish Heritage Month, celebrate the achievements of our Jewish labour activists, and renew our commitment to building a union where every member feels heard, valued, and respected.

This article was first published on the PSAC website.

May Day 2025: Celebrating our strength, uniting for the challenges ahead

As we gather to commemorate May Day, we reflect on the significant contributions and dedication of workers in Canada and around the world. This is a powerful celebration of workers’ rights and hard-fought battles by the labour movement, but also a time to recognize the need to continue the fight for justice, equity and safe and healthy workplaces.

Across the country, PSAC members are showing their collective strength. Academic workers are organizing and taking collective action to secure fair agreements. Gaming workers are fighting to win decent wages. And let’s not forget the firefighters, healthcare workers and other public service workers who keep us safe every day.  Whether it is fishery officers safeguarding our oceans, a housing worker ensuring families have a roof over their heads or a lab technician developing cancer treatments, our work matters, and so does our rights.

As we look ahead, we must remind ourselves of the challenges that lie ahead.

The next few years will demand everything we have to protect the rights of workers, and the public services people depend on. We’re ready to work with the new elected government to protect public pensions and ensure a fair bargaining process for PSAC members. And we will continue to hold the new government accountable to ensure they strengthen public services and support the workers who deliver them.

Our strength lies in our unity. A better future for workers and families doesn’t just happen. We build it, together.

May Day is a reminder that progress has never come from waiting patiently. It comes from people coming together to say: we deserve better. And it comes from believing that dignity at work isn’t a luxury — it’s a right.

So, wherever you are and whatever work you do, this May Day we invite you to stand with the workers who are making change — not just in big ways, but in quiet, powerful acts of courage every day.

Because when we fight together, we win together. And when we honour every worker, we build a better future for all of us.

This article was first published on the PSAC website.

CIU National Human Rights Representative receives King Charles III’s Coronation Medal

The Canada Border Services Agency recently announced that John Bay — a border officer hailing from Akwesasne, and CIU’s very own National Human Rights Representative — was one of the recipients of the King Charles III’s Coronation Medal.

The Coronation Medal is awarded to a person who has “made a significant contribution to Canada or to a particular province, territory, region or community of Canada, or [has] made an outstanding achievement abroad that brings credit to Canada.”

John Bay has long been instrumental in the work to heal the relationship between CBSA and the Akwesasne community. Through his actions, he has helped to foster a positive dialogue. As a CBSA Indigenous Advisor, he has played a key role in providing important guidance to the Agency on the long road to reconciliation with First Nations people.

We are proud to have John Bay as CIU’s Human Rights Representative, and we are pleased to see his contributions recognized through this award. We join CBSA in congratulating him for receiving this prestigious medal. At a time when the Agency’s decision to do away with Regional Indigenous Affairs Advisors positions calls into question its commitment to reconciliation, we hope the honour bestowed upon John will encourage CBSA to reconsider. This achievement should serve as a reminder to the Agency of the importance of continuing to rely on trained, dedicated advisors whose work is key in building a better country.

Day of Mourning: No job is worth a life

On April 28, Canada marks the National Day of Mourning to remember workers who have been hurt, made sick, or lost their lives because of their jobs. This year, PSAC and Canada’s unions are calling on governments and employers to do more to protect workers –especially from dangers we can’t always see.

Health and safety at work isn’t just about what’s right in front of us. Many job hazards are invisible, like breathing in harmful chemicals or being exposed to traumatic events. These can lead to serious health problems that don’t always show on the outside. That’s why this year, unions are shining a light on these hidden hazards. There’s an urgent need for both stronger safety regulations and better enforcement to protect workers.

In 2023, more than 1,000 workers died in work-related incidents in Canada, and over 274,000 people missed time at work because of an injury, an increase from the previous year. The numbers show that too many people are still being hurt at work in preventable incidents.

This isn’t just about accidents – it’s about systems that are failing workers. Too often, safety takes a back seat to profits. But that needs to change. The cost of doing nothing is too high and is shouldered by workers.

On this National Day of Mourning, we remember those we’ve lost, and we promise to keep fighting for those still on the job. We’re calling on employers, politicians, and all Canadians to make safety a priority. Let’s make sure every worker is protected – because no job is worth a life.

This article was first published on the PSAC website.

Conservatives pledge to hire more border officers, allow them to patrol

The Conservative Party of Canada has released a comprehensive border plan as part of its election commitments, pledging to undertake a number of measures to strengthen Canada’s borders, including hiring 2,000 new officers and allowing our members to do their job across the breadth of the border, not just at ports of entry.

The Customs and Immigration Union welcomes the CPC’s pledge to hire new officers — which would effectively restore CBSA positions eliminated during the Harper years. How this may be affected by the CPC’s proposed reductions to the public service through attrition — which could reach 17,000 per year — remains to be seen.

Also very positive is the commitment to authorize border officers to fulfill their duties at and between ports of entry. With the NDP and the Bloc, this means three of the main federal parties have now made it clear that allowing our members to patrol between ports in addition to the RCMP should be a priority.

While the commitment to install new technology such as scanners at ports of entry is positive, it is unfortunate that part of the Conservative plan points to a militarization of the border with the deployment of military helicopters and surveillance towers. The primary focus should be on building a sustainable, properly staffed border infrastructure that relies on the unique expertise of border officers, putting workers first. Beyond hiring new border officers, any long-term solution also needs to take into consideration adequate training facilities, which is absent from the CPC’s current border plan.

Worrisome plan for public sector

CIU is disappointed to note that also absent from the Conservative platform is a commitment to support legislation to make ‘25 and out’ a reality for our members.  Supporting pension reform would signal that the CPC recognizes the demanding nature of the work performed by our members.

Beyond the lack of clear support for ‘25 and out’, the Conservative Party’s plan for the public sector, as outlined in the party’s Policy Declaration, is generally worrisome, from proposed cuts to public sector pensions (including our members’) by moving from a defined benefit model to a defined contribution model (Article 33 of the Policy Declaration, p.10), to threats to core Canadian union principles such as the RAND formula (Article 17 of the Policy Declaration, p.6).

Read the full CPC election plan here.

NDP highlights clear commitment to border security, public services: More officers, new training facilities, expanded mandate

The Customs and Immigration Union is glad to see the New Democratic Party confirm its commitment to bolstering Canada’s border services as part of its Made for People. Built for Canada plan released on April 19.

Echoing the announcement made last fall, the NDP’s election commitment to border security is clear: “We would hire thousands of new border officers and give them the right to stop border crossers in between regular ports of entry – to strengthen the border and stop guns before they get into Canada. We will also build a new training centre for Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) officers in Windsor.”

Source: https://www.ndp.ca/campaign-commitments#pillar6

 

Building additional training facilities is crucial to ensure Canada’s border services are properly staffed in order to meet existing and emerging border challenges. While other parties have committed to hiring additional border officers, the NDP is the only party with a clear plan that would make it possible to increase training output, facilitating the hiring of additional personnel.

The announcement also addresses another key CIU demand: Allowing our members to act between ports of entry to help stem the flow of dangerous drugs and firearms and protect Canadian communities.

By focusing on hiring more officers, boosting the training capacity of Canada’s border services, and allowing border officers to act outside of ports of entry, the NDP proposes a much-needed worker-focused approach to border security.

No cuts to public services

The NDP’s plan also includes a commitment to reject cuts: “New Democrats are rejecting calls for cuts to the public sector and to social programs – cuts which would be made to reach a budgetary balance in the short-term, despite the costs and the consequences for people.”

Combined with the NDP’s steadfast advocacy in favour of ’25 and out’ pension reform, the pledge to reject cuts shows a serious commitment to workers rights and public sector employees, including our own members.

Read the full commitments here.

CBSA’s new National Joint Council Travel Directive interpretation

CBSA recently announced an update to their interpretation and application of the National Joint Council Travel Directive (Part 3 Module 2, Travel outside of headquarters area – No overnight stay and Part 3 Module 3, Travel in Canada and continental U.S.A. – Overnight stay) effective April 1, 2025, with an implementation target of May 1, 2025.

Despite earlier consultation with CIU, this announcement was done without the Agency seeking feedback from the union on the final version of the revised interpretation. As a result, CBSA’s updated documentation fails to address union concerns, with key elements of the interpretation severely lacking in clarity.

Most importantly, CBSA’s new interpretation would now make it possible for the employer to deny travel status in situations where members would previously have qualified, such as volunteering to take a temporary position away from their regular work location.

CIU is aware of the negative ramifications of this interpretation, and we are currently engaged in discussions with CBSA to review the interpretation prior to the May 1 implementation date.

In the meantime, should management deny travel expenses under the new interpretation, please contact your local union representative for further assistance. While the general grievance language provided below may be used, your local union representative will ensure the wording correctly reflects your specific situation.

General grievance wording

I grieve that the employer’s denial of my travel expenses contravenes the National Joint Council Directive on Government Travel.

Note: For those already receiving travel expenses resulting from a staffing action, if your Letter of Offer provides for travel expenses, you may use the following language: I grieve that the employer’s denial of my travel expenses contravened the National Joint Council Directive on Government Travel. I further grieve that the employer contravened the contract we signed on [date] when it unilaterally decided to terminate the payment of travel expenses as agreed. The contract stipulates that I will be eligible for travel expenses.

Remedy

That the employer approve the travel expenses I incurred during the period when I was assigned to work at (location). That I be awarded any and all other remedies, including compensatory damages. That I be made whole.

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