More than two dozen Environment Canada employees have received layoff notices, spurring fears among federal civil servants that thousands of job losses loom as the government struggles to balance its budget.
The notices were handed out this week to at least 28 scientists at the department, said Bill Pynn, president of the Union of Environment Workers, a branch of the Public Service Alliance of Canada. The personnel were all term employees, many of them nearing permanent status.
John Gordon, president of the Public Service Alliance of Canada, says the Tories changed their tune as soon as they won a majority government. John Gordon, president of the Public Service Alliance of Canada, says the Tories changed their tune as soon as they won a majority government. (Pawel Dwulit/Canadian Press)
"The department actually has committed to those individuals to hire them on full-time, and I think it's absolutely deplorable that they would let those individuals go knowing they're so close to a permanent offer," Pynn said.
The news came as a disappointment to Meghan Thomson, a chemist in the auto emissions division at Environment Canada, who, after almost three years, was set to become a permanent employee at the end of August.
"Environment Canada was like my dream job. And I felt so lucky to be a part of this and I really wanted to make a difference," said Thomson, 30. "It hurts. There was no indication before this that my job was going to end."
During the recent federal election campaign, the Conservatives vowed to slash $11 billion in government expenditures through 2014, but played down the possibility of layoffs in the civil service, saying it would be reduced mainly via retirements and attrition.
Pynn and other officials in the Public Service Alliance of Canada, the largest union for federal civil servants, now say they expect many more job cuts to follow.
'It's ridiculous'
A media report last week suggested the Department of National Defence is contemplating 2,100 job cuts to its bureaucracy over the next three years.
Defence Minister Peter MacKay wouldn't confirm the figure, but acknowledged the department is "looking at ways to achieve efficiencies" among its civilian employees.
Five curators were also told Thursday they're being let go from the National Gallery of Canada as it wrestles with a $400,000 deficit.
PSAC president John Gordon accused the Conservatives of hiding their agenda on the campaign trail in March and April.
"During the election they were saying, 'Oh, we're going to be doing everything through attrition.' The minute they got the results, the tone changed," Gordon said. "I think we're in for huge cuts in the short term in the public service, and it's ridiculous."
Ottawa axed 45,000 civil service jobs in 1995 as part of the then Liberal government's efforts to balance the books. While union leaders aren't fearing cuts that drastic, some have said the number could approach 30,000.
Oldtimer said:Well I'm kind of to the belief that all Washington D.C is totally disfunctional and maybe so in the pockets of their lobbyiests that its even unfixable anymore...Both cults (and their radical subcults) are so split and polarized that they would rather see the country go broke than compromise on an agreement...
The world sees this- which was reflected in two weeks of stock market crash- and S&P's downgrading of our credit rating...
To me this whole D.C. dog and pony show could have been avoided if our national government had handled it like our state, county, and city governments handle it-- just tell every Dept head to do an across the board 5% cut...On everything- from salaries (5%-either cuts in salaries or cuts in jobs) to subsidies... If a tobacco, cotton, corn or wheat farmer was supposed to get a million $ subsidy-- give him $950,000.. If he can't live on that--tough..
It also makes Dept heads go out and look for waste and fraud to cut back so they don't get their salaries/workforce cut...And they soon figure out which programs are not necessary and could be done away with...
Lonecowboy said:Oldtimer said:Well I'm kind of to the belief that all Washington D.C is totally disfunctional and maybe so in the pockets of their lobbyiests that its even unfixable anymore...Both cults (and their radical subcults) are so split and polarized that they would rather see the country go broke than compromise on an agreement...
The world sees this- which was reflected in two weeks of stock market crash- and S&P's downgrading of our credit rating...
To me this whole D.C. dog and pony show could have been avoided if our national government had handled it like our state, county, and city governments handle it-- just tell every Dept head to do an across the board 5% cut...On everything- from salaries (5%-either cuts in salaries or cuts in jobs) to subsidies... If a tobacco, cotton, corn or wheat farmer was supposed to get a million $ subsidy-- give him $950,000.. If he can't live on that--tough..
It also makes Dept heads go out and look for waste and fraud to cut back so they don't get their salaries/workforce cut...And they soon figure out which programs are not necessary and could be done away with...
you better go back to school and learn to do math- 5% doesn't even make a good start! 50% would be a good start but not enough
Cut the budget of every single operation of the U.S. Government 10% in 2012. Then cut 10% more in 2013. Then do it again in 2014, 2015, and 2016. Cutting 10% from each previous budget for 5 years will take 41% off of the original budget. Problem solved. We are now in the black or so close that the budget deficit is effectively gone.
I can hear the screams now, "Meat Ax," "Hatchet Man," etc. In fact, those wielding the real "Meat Ax" are those who spend huge amounts more than they take in each year. Those are the people piling up the debt that will eventually bankrupt the nation. When that happens, little things like 10% cuts will seem like kid's play.
Before you start to say that 10% a year is unrealistic or that it will cut some programs that shouldn't be cut while leaving others that should, let me give you a few reasons why I think this will work.
1. Everyone is treated equally. This isn't playing favorites like only increasing taxes on the "rich" or only cutting programs that support "women's health." If you can cut 10% from your budget at home, why can't Congress and the President do the same?
2. Everyone knows what is coming. If the 5 year plan starts today, everyone knows what their budgets will be in each new year for five years. That gives time to plan.
3. More importantly, it requires you to prioritize what is to be funded and what isn't. Is Federal support of ethanol really as important as maintenance of the nations bridges? How does a new National Park at Mount St. Helens stack up against funding the Centers for Disease Control? These are questions worthy of debate.
4. The questions are not so important, however, that they should stop all cuts until they are decided. This is the current state of political gridlock. All we get now is more delay, more debt, and more assurance that we will bankrupt the nation. By making the 10% cuts it will force decisions. Politicians need a push.
Lonecowboy said:you better go back to school and learn to do math- 5% doesn't even make a good start! 50% would be a good start but not enough
Oldtimer said:You can't pay off 50 years of debt- fight 2 wars- and keep the country from becoming a 3rd world country without having some income...
