Opposition MPs criticized Prime Minister Justin Trudeau during question period on April 19 for failing to negotiate a deal to prevent members 155,000 federal workers from striking.
“It is a failure to increase the cost of the bureaucracy by 50 percent with poor services. It is a failure to have 150,000 people workers go on the biggest general strike in decades. It is an especially incredible achievement of incompetence to do both of those things at the same time,” said Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre.
The federal public servants went on strike after the federal government and the Public Service Alliance of Canada (PSAC) failed to reach a deal before an April 18 evening deadline. On April 19, over 35,000 Canada Revenue Agency (CRA) workers and 120,000 Treasury Board workers set up picket lines at more than 250 locations across Canada.
Ottawa has warned that the strike could impact a number of federal services, including taxes, border services, employment insurance, veteran support, and passport applications.
“How will the prime minister fix the damage that he has caused to our government and our taxpayers?” Poilievre asked Trudeau in the House.
Trudeau responded that the Liberals “deeply respect the work that unions do across the country to stand up for good middle-class jobs.” Trudeau said this was why the federal government had ensured “the work is done at the bargaining table.”
“We know there’s progress being made, but it’s an important principle to respect the work of the bargaining table. That is why we’re encouraging people to continue to do so. Canadians deserve their services, and we need to continue to support the public service that delivers those services,” he said.
Conservative MP Stephanie Kusie, who is also shadow minister for the Treasury Board, said the Liberals had spent $21 billion more on public service and $22 billion on outside consultants since coming to power in 2015, yet were unable to reach a deal with PSAC.
“Now it’s Canadians who are suffering, Canadians who are not receiving their passports, and Canadians’ loved ones whose immigration processes will be elongated. Will the prime minister take responsibility and apologize to Canadians for failing to reach a negotiation,” she said.
Trudeau responded that if the Conservatives were in power, they would be implementing, back-to-work legislation “even before the picket lines were brought up, as they have done before.”
“We actually respect the right to collective bargaining, and we will continue to be at the table in constructive conversation,” he said.
NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh said his party was “extremely disappointed” that the federal government failed to arrive at a negotiated agreement with the PSAC.
“These are the workers that delivered unprecedented health during the challenging times of the pandemic. They deserve our respect,” he said.
Singh asked if the prime minister would commit to not bringing forth back-to-work legislation, and to negotiate a fair deal with the workers.
Trudeau said in response that negotiators are currently at the bargaining table putting forth “responsible” proposals that “respect the hard work of public service workers over the last few years.”