The Institute’s submission to the House of Commons Standing Committee on Finance regarding the 2018-19 Pre-Budget Consultation is now available online.
PIPSC believes the next federal budget should address the following priorities:
(1) Invest in Tax Fairness:
- Commit $400 million, annually and ongoing, to enhance the CRA’s ability to target tax haven abuse, corporate tax avoidance and evasion, and complex tax schemes.
- Consult with front-line workers and invest in the training, technology and infrastructure required to keep pace with tax cheats.
- Close tax loopholes and overhaul Canada's tax and secrecy laws that allow some to evade taxes.
(2) Withdraw Bill C-27:
- PIPSC recommends that the federal government withdraw Bill C-27 and create a legislative and economic environment in which defined benefit pension plans can actually thrive.
(3) Restore Public Science:
- Hire more scientists and researchers to replace the 1,500 federal scientists lost prior to 2015.
- Invest in government scientific capacity at federal departments and agencies – as opposed to only favouring non-government activities. A healthy Canadian scientific and research community depends on both.
- Conduct meaningful consultation with PIPSC’s scientific community in advance of the science infrastructure initiatives that will be carried out in the coming years.
(4) Reduce Outsourcing, Increase Insourcing:
- The government should create a task force with unions to reduce outsourcing, fix problems and build institutional knowledge within the Federal Public Service. The federal government makes up one of the largest IT enterprises in the country. It should listen to its employees’ advice, trust their abilities and train them to address tomorrow’s problems.
- Reduce reliance on outside IT and other professional services to 2005-06 levels by 2019-20.