Letter to the Revenue Minister about Gaspé

The Honourable Diane Lebouthillier, P.C.
Minister of National Revenue
Member of Parliament for Gaspésie—Les îles de la Madeleine
House of Commons
Ottawa ON K1A0A6
Diane.Lebouthillier@parl.gc.ca

September 7, 2018

Minister Lebouthillier,

I am writing today to bring to your attention an important issue that affects hundreds of your constituents employed by the federal government across several departments and agencies in the riding of Gaspésie—Les îles de la Madeleine.

Some ten years ago, the federal government revoked the Isolated Post status of the City of Gaspé, a decision which failed, and continues to fail, to take into account the exceptional circumstances faced by federal employees in the area.

The objective of the National Joint Council’s (NJC) Isolated Posts and Government Housing Directive (IPGHD) is “to facilitate the recruitment and retention of staff delivering government programs in isolated locations. Its provisions are designed to assist in offsetting some of the higher costs and to recognize the inherent disadvantages associated with living and working in isolated posts”.

Unfortunately, Gaspé’s loss of Isolated Post status means that compared to their colleagues located in more accessible locations across Canada, federal employees in the area are de facto being penalized for having chosen to work in the region. The situation is unacceptable and must be corrected in the briefest of delays.

While the NJC’s position is based on municipal amalgamations in the area that resulted in a larger administrative entity, these have not changed the reality of life in Gaspé, which as you well know remains a difficult to access and expensive community in which to live and work. Your constituents, who are also my members, must spend thousands of dollars more on the necessities of life compared to their colleagues in other areas. The Council should recognize the reality of their situation and reinstate their former status to correct for this inequity. Unfortunately, repeated requests to the NJC to reconsider its decision have fallen on deaf ears.

I am only asking for my members, your constituents, to be treated in a fair and equitable manner comparable to that of their federal public service colleagues across Canada.

The issue is one not only one of fairness, but of service to Canadians. Recruitment and retention of the best candidates for federal positions in the area are compromised by the revocation of Gaspé’s status as an isolated post. This can only have a negative impact on service levels.

I thank you for your attention to this important matter and look forward to your response.

Respectfully Yours,

Debi Daviau
President
The Professional lnstitute of the Public Service of Canada