Work force adjustments (WFA) occur when the services of one or more indeterminate employees will no longer be required. PIPSC is here to ensure the process is followed and that our members are fully supported.
Fredericton (NB) March 19, 2026 –The Professional Institute of the Public Service of Canada (PIPSC) is raising serious concerns following the Government of New Brunswick’s March 17, 2026, budget, which outlines significant reductions to public services, including privatization. While the government suggests these reductions will occur through attrition, PIPSC emphasizes that cuts by attrition are still cuts, and will have real impacts on services New Brunswickers rely on.
“Cutting 12% of public service jobs in a province where government work is a major employer is short-sighted and harmful,” said Katie Francis, PIPSC Vice-President. “These aren’t just budget lines – these are real people and real services at risk. Federal cuts have already stretched services thin, and these reductions will leave communities with fewer jobs, fewer resources, and much greater pressure on critical services.”
Among the most alarming measures is the full privatization of provincially-delivered veterinary care. This includes all veterinary lab and field services, medical care, foreign animal disease control, inspection, testing, and certification – meaning almost all provincially-employed veterinarians are expected to lose their jobs.
“Privatizing veterinary services will not save money,” continued Francis. “Farmers will either face higher out-of-pocket costs at private clinics, or the government will end up paying more through contracts. Either way, New Brunswickers lose.”
Provincial veterinarians play a critical role in protecting both animal and human health. They are essential for detecting illnesses, preventing outbreaks, and responding to diseases such as rabies and tuberculosis. They ensure livestock are cared for properly, safely, and in a timely manner.
“Privatizing these services to profit-driven providers introduces more risk into the system,” said Francis. “In a province as rural and spread out as New Brunswick, relying on private care ignores reality. Many private providers don’t administer the same services, may not provide 24-hour care, choose not to treat food animals, and aren’t set up to deliver coordinated outbreak responses. Combined with long distances, that means delays, gaps in detection, and a higher risk of outbreaks when it matters most.”
While the government points to its stated goal of reducing reliance on outside contracts, PIPSC notes that $1.5 billion was spent on outsourced contracts last year – a figure expected to rise under this plan.
“Instead of strengthening public services, this budget doubles down on outsourcing and privatization,” continued Francis. “New Brunswickers deserve transparent, accountable, and cost-effective public services – not more expensive and less accountable private contracts.”
PIPSC is calling on the provincial government to reverse course and engage professionals and their unions before implementing changes.
PIPSC represents over 85,000 public-sector professionals across the country, including the veterinarians employed by the Government of New Brunswick. Follow us on Facebook, on X (formerly known as Twitter) and on Instagram.
-30-
For more information: Johanne Fillion, 613-883-4900 (mobile), jfillion@pipsc.ca
Published on 19 March 2026
After the strong turnout and national media attention from our January rally on Parliament Hill, federal scientists are coming together again to make our work visible and show Canadians what’s at stake.
Public service workers have always shown up for Canadians.
Now it’s time to show up for each other.
- When: Saturday, March 28, from 4:45 PM to 6:00 PM ET
- Where: Starting at the Marriott Hotel, 100 Kent Street, and ending at Parliament Hill
Join us for a rally at Parliament Hill, and don’t forget your lab coat.
Published on 17 March 2026
On March 12, PIPSC President Sean O’Reilly appeared before the Standing Committee on Government Operations and Estimates (OGGO) as part of its study of the federal government’s Comprehensive Expenditure Review (CER).
The hearing gave PIPSC an opportunity to bring members’ expertise and concerns directly to Parliament, including the risks CER-related cuts pose to scientific capacity, transportation safety, and other critical systems Canadians rely on every day.
“These are the experts who make sure the critical systems Canadians rely on every day actually work,” O’Reilly told MPs.
Food safety and rail oversight raised
During the hearing, O’Reilly highlighted reductions affecting scientists, veterinarians, and inspectors at the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA).
“Millions of Canadian families trust that the food they buy to feed their children is safe. When that trust is misplaced, the consequences can be severe,” O’Reilly warned. “Foodborne illness can spread before contamination is detected. Export markets can be shut down overnight when confidence in a country’s inspection system is shaken.”
He also raised concerns about reductions affecting rail safety oversight at Transport Canada, where engineers and technical specialists monitor infrastructure, equipment standards, and operating practices across one of the largest rail networks in the world.
“Rail safety depends on trained professionals who detect problems before accidents occur,” O’Reilly told the committee.
Outsourcing and service impacts questioned
MPs also pressed witnesses on whether reducing internal expertise while outsourcing more work could affect the quality and reliability of government services.
Federal spending on professional and special services has reached historic levels, with outsourcing now roughly double pre-pandemic levels.
O’Reilly warned MPs that reducing internal expertise while increasing reliance on consultants risks weakening the public service’s long-term capacity.
“When internal capacity is weakened, governments frequently turn to outsourcing to fill the gap,” he said. “Cuts that remove this expertise may look efficient on paper. But when expertise disappears, the risks and the costs return later.”
MPs raise concerns about expertise and preparedness
During the hearing, MPs questioned whether workforce reductions could weaken Canada’s scientific capacity and public services.
NDP MP Alexandre Boulerice asked whether cuts to scientific roles could leave Canada less prepared for future crises such as pandemics. Conservative MP Kelly Block raised concerns that reducing internal expertise while outsourcing more work could affect service standards across government programs.
Responding to questions from MPs, O’Reilly emphasized how difficult it is to rebuild lost expertise once experienced professionals leave the public service.
“When experienced professionals leave the public service, that expertise doesn’t just disappear from an org chart — it disappears from the system. Rebuilding that capacity takes years.”
Evidence submitted to the committee
As part of the study, PIPSC submitted a detailed brief outlining the risks CER-related workforce reductions pose to federal scientific capacity and other critical systems.
The submission documents how cuts are affecting areas including food safety, emergency preparedness, transportation safety, environmental protection, and public health oversight.
Parliamentary study continues
The OGGO committee will continue examining the Comprehensive Expenditure Review in the coming weeks as departments release more details about planned reductions.
O’Reilly closed his testimony with a warning about the long-term consequences of reducing internal expertise.
“Because when expertise disappears, problems don’t disappear,” he told the committee. “They just show up later — and they cost far more to fix.”
Published on 16 March 2026
Murray Perrett is an Area Fisheries Manager with the Department of Fisheries and Oceans Canada in Happy Valley-Goose Bay, Newfoundland. It’s an important role in a region where fishing is not only a major economic driver, but the “heart and soul of the community.”
He works in resource management to ensure commercial and recreational fisheries operate smoothly and sustainably.
“We have a very big coastline in Newfoundland and Labrador, and my job is to make sure that there's fish out there for the fish harvesters to catch,” he says.
The fishing industry affects nearly everyone on the island, from the boat crews to the fish plant workers and Indigenous communities.
A rewarding part of Murray’s job is helping Indigenous communities obtain licenses to fish for food, social, and ceremonial purposes. He says access to fresh, local fish is crucial, given the high cost of food in remote northern areas.
Although Murray spends most days in the office, his favorite part of the job is getting out to meet local harvesters.
“I want to hear from them. What are their concerns? Where’s the fishery going? It’s an opportunity to talk to them and get feedback.”
Happy Valley-Goose Bay is a small town, and Murray sometimes gets stopped by community members outside of the office with questions about the local fishery.
“That’s the nice thing. We work collaboratively with the fish harvesters to help manage the fishery together, like one team. Even though I’m a public servant with the Government of Canada, we’re working as a team, and I really like that.”
Murray is also a proud member of PIPSC. As someone who values labour and community, he says it’s critical to have union representation.
“The public servants that we have work really hard and take pride in the work we do – and it's important work that we do. I just wish the public did see more of what we did behind the scenes.”
It’s not always smooth waters. Murray says the job can be stressful because when something goes wrong, livelihoods are at stake.
Sometimes, a fishing vessel will break down, resulting in lost income for a harvester and their family. Murray will work late to get them a new vessel and back on the water as soon and safely as possible.
Once, a captain fell ill on a boat and was medevaced out, leaving the vessel and gear still out there on the water. Murray quickly oversaw the process of getting a licensed replacement to take over, continue fishing, and bring the product to shore.
Resource management requires swift action, but also foresight to ensure Canada’s fishery resources provide for generations to come.
“It’s important to make sure that we have a sustainable fishery in the future so that these communities can continue to thrive,” Murray says.
“Climate change (is) the big question mark,” he adds. “Our oceans are changing, and we are seeing species here in Labrador that have never been here before.”
He points to crab, a species that has traditionally been fished in cold, deep water. Crab behavior is changing, and they are crawling up into shallower water to get to the cold medium they like.
As fish harvesters adapt their practices, Murray is there every step of the way to help them navigate the changes.
Supporting fisheries is a team effort. Murray shares an office building with fellow public servants who do vital work in statistics, science, conservation, and protection. The pace is hectic and any given day can bring new challenges.
Despite the demands of work, Murray still finds time to pursue other passions that bring him closer to his community, such as farming. He’s passed down his enthusiasm for the Canadian outdoors to his two children, and hopes the beauty of their coastline will be cherished for generations to come.
“This resource belongs to Canada. It belongs to the people. We are just managing this fishery to make sure that it’s sustainable, to make sure that we always have fish in the water that can be sustainably harvested and will be there for the future.”
Murray believes in his work, he believes in protecting Canada’s resources – our oceans, our wildlife – and the communities at the heart of them.
Published on 13 March 2026
OTTAWA, March 11, 2026 — Sean O’Reilly, President of the Professional Institute of the Public Service of Canada (PIPSC), will appear before the House of Commons Standing Committee on Government Operations and Estimates (OGGO) as part of its study of the federal government’s Comprehensive Expenditure Review (CER).
O’Reilly will raise with Committee members the way federal spending cuts and workforce reductions will weaken Canada’s internal expertise and undermine the delivery of public services. His testimony will highlight the dangers of a growing reliance on outsourcing and the loss of scientific and technical capacity across government.
What: Appearance before the House of Commons Standing Committee on Government Operations and Estimates (OGGO) Study of the Comprehensive Expenditure Review
Where: House of Commons, Room 125-B, West Block, Ottawa (ON) and also via House of Commons webcast, Parl-Vu at https://parlvu.parl.gc.ca/Harmony/en/PowerBrowser/PowerBrowserV2?fk=13387431
When: Thursday, March 12, 2026, 12:00 p.m. to 1:00 p.m. ET
Who:
- Sean O’Reilly, President of PIPSC, and
- Christine Poirier, Manager, National Policy Office, PIPSC
PIPSC represents over 85,000 public-sector professionals across the country, most of them employed by the federal government. Follow us on Facebook, on X (formerly known as Twitter) and on Instagram.
-30-
For more information: Johanne Fillion, 613-883-4900 (mobile) jfillion@pipsc.ca
Published on 11 March 2026
The following op-ed by PIPSC President Sean O’Reilly was published in the Hill Times on March 5, 2026.
The assumption appears to be that fewer experts can somehow do more with less—an impossibility in a system already stretched past its limits.
Canada is entering a defining trade moment.
With relations with the United States increasingly volatile, Prime Minister Mark Carney has been clear about the path forward: reduce Canada’s dependence on the U.S., and grow non-American exports by 50 per cent over the next decade.
That goal is ambitious and necessary. But it rests on a critical assumption: that Canada has the public infrastructure needed to earn and maintain the trust of global markets. Right now, that foundation is being weakened.
Cuts to the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) threaten one of this country’s most valuable trade assets: confidence in our food safety, and animal and plant health systems. At the precise moment when credibility and speed matter most, Canada is stripping capacity from the system that underpins access to hundreds of international markets.
Canada’s food and agriculture economy is worth $100-billion annually. CFIA’s $839-million budget protects that entire ecosystem of trade—an extraordinary return on investment. Yet, these cuts put it at risk by eliminating over a million hours of inspection, surveillance, and scientific expertise each year. This is not trimming bureaucracy; it is removing the experts who stop disease before it shuts borders down.
Trading partners do not take a country’s word that its animals, plants, or food are safe. Veterinary epidemiologists, disease and insect vector surveillance, and risk analysis are core trade requirements. Cutting this expertise increases the risk of undetected diseases entering Canada, and jeopardizes access to export markets by laying off the very experts who help keep them open.
Imagine an outbreak of a disease such as bluetongue, African swine fever, or even a single case of foot-and-mouth disease without adequate domestic surveillance in place. Canada would lose its export status overnight, devastating entire sectors. Without veterinarians to investigate, contain, and certify disease status, outbreaks spread faster, markets stay closed longer, and losses compound. The risk of zoonotic disease spilling into the human population also grows.
There is no plan for managing these risks under the proposed cuts.
The assumption appears to be that fewer experts can somehow do more with less—an impossibility in a system already stretched past its limits. Workload has surged in the last decade, but staffing hasn’t kept up. Already, this country lacks sufficient veterinary capacity to inspect export trucks before they leave the country. The system is operating without redundancy; further cuts risk removing the safety margin entirely.
The expertise required is neither abundant, nor replaceable. There are only a handful of veterinary epidemiologists in Canada, and only dozens globally. We cannot afford to lose them. Universities and the private sector do not maintain national surveillance systems, nor should they. If CFIA were to lose capacity, the work does not get “streamlined.” It stops.
Diversifying trade to non-U.S. markets will only increase the pressure CFIA faces. Canada’s trade negotiators cannot secure new market access without the surveillance, data, and controls provided by CFIA. Every trading partner imposes commodity-specific requirements that CFIA regulates for export.
To trade, Canada must be able to demonstrate compliance. If a large partner requires expanded monitoring—for example, for insects that may carry bluetongue—and this country lacks the capacity to deliver it, market access is lost and industry suffers the loss. Expanding market access is not achievable if importing countries do not maintain confidence in CFIA’s inspection systems. This makes the Canadian economy more reliant on the U.S., not less.
Strong surveillance is not a luxury; it is the lowest-cost alternative to export bans and preventable public-health emergencies. At a time when Canada is trying to build resilience, economic sovereignty, and independence from a single hegemonic market, weakening the CFIA is reckless and entirely unnecessary, putting billions of dollars in trade at risk.
Sean O’Reilly is the president of the Professional Institute of the Public Service of Canada.
Published on 6 March 2026
The Legacy Foundation Scholarships are now open and accepting applications. This year, we added nine additional undergraduate scholarships at $3,500 and opened eligibility to all students in a full-time program, no matter what year the student is entering.
The Legacy Foundation’s mission is to promote the intertwined values of professionalism and service, both to the community and to the country. The foundation offers scholarships to children and grandchildren of regular or retired PIPSC members.
Students must be enrolled full-time at a recognized post-secondary institution or continuing their education in a Master's or Doctorate program.
Applications must include:
- the most recent report card or transcript
- a statement about career goals, future education plans, and why you’d be a good candidate to receive a scholarship
- a statement about your leadership abilities and community service involvement
- an essay
- a letter of reference (from the community service leadership is preferred)
Applications are evaluated by an impartial external panel based on the student’s academic achievement, community service involvement, and the quality of their written statements.
We will be accepting applications for 10 weeks starting Tuesday, March 24 to Tuesday, June 2, 2026.
Published on 6 March 2026
For 15 consecutive years, Iceland has ranked number one in the world for gender equality. Canada ranks 36th.
That gap represents more than a number. It reflects who advances into leadership, who carries unpaid caregiving work, and whose economic contributions are undervalued.
In Canada, women make up nearly half the workforce but hold just 29% of senior leadership roles. Women earn 87 cents for every dollar earned by men and report spending 4 to 8 additional hours each week on unpaid care for children and adults.
We know advancing gender equity could add $150 billion to Canada’s GDP. The case for change is not abstract. It is economic, social, and urgent.
Iceland shows what’s possible when equality is treated as a national priority, backed by policy, cultural expectation, and sustained public commitment.
On International Women’s Day, join us for a conversation with Eliza Reid – bestselling author, former First Lady of Iceland, and leading advocate for gender equality – as we explore how Iceland achieved measurable progress and what it would take for Canada to do the same.
When: Tuesday, March 10 at 1:00 PM ET
Where: Zoom
All webinar attendees will be entered to win one of 25 copies of Eliza Reid’s newest book, The First Lady Next Door.
If you have questions, please contact bettertogether@pipsc.ca.
Let’s move beyond acknowledging the gap – and start discussing how to close it.
Published on 4 March 2026
As union members and public service professionals, we’re facing several serious threats. Thousands of public service professionals have already received WFA letters, including those who work in critical services that will directly impact Canadians. These cuts threaten the stability of our communities, the quality of life we work hard to protect, and the very future of the public service.
We are pushing back against these shortsighted decisions. Recently, we organized an event to highlight the dangerous cuts happening to food inspectors at the CFIA – and the impacts those cuts could have on all Canadians. But we have to keep up the pressure on multiple fronts, and we need your help.
To add insult to injury, we’ve been ordered back into the office 4 days per week. This is happening despite years of demonstrated productivity, and despite clear evidence that remote work supports recruitment, retention, and service delivery. This mandate is not about performance, collaboration or better service to Canadians.
Here’s the truth: these actions are being justified because far too many – MPs included – don’t fully understand the work we do. That’s why it’s time to make our work visible.
We are pushing back against these shortsighted decisions. This March, PIPSC is launching our next Regional Lobby Week, so members like you can connect with your MP, share your experiences, and help build understanding of the vital work we do.
We’re looking for members across Canada who are willing to volunteer to meet their MPs and share the stories of how these cuts are putting Canadians at risk and how RTO mandates will make things worse. Can you help us?
Lobby Dates: March 30 to April 2
Sign Up Here
You don’t need prior lobbying or advocacy experience – we’ve got your back with all the training and support you’ll need.
Once you’re signed up, we’ll follow up with details and an invitation to one of our mandatory virtual lobby training sessions. Questions? Contact us anytime at gov_relations@pipsc.ca.
Public service workers are the backbone of this country. We’ve always shown up for Canadians – now, we need to show up for each other.
Let’s raise our voices, together in solidarity, because when experts are cut, the risk increases. Cuts today, crisis tomorrow.
Published on 25 February 2026