Bad News For Employees At Fisheries and Oceans
Ottawa, December 12, 2011 – The Grinch came calling today, as some 400 employees of the Department of Fisheries and Oceans (DFO) received news that nobody wants to hear, especially during the Holiday Season: they may soon be out of a job. Approximately half of the affected employees are represented by the Professional Institute of the Public Service of Canada (PIPSC).
"We’ve always known that attrition would be insufficient to meet the government’s public service reduction targets", said PIPSC President Gary Corbett, reacting to the announcement. "While our members at the DFO are covered by the provisions of Work Force Adjustment, some of them may lose their jobs. This is particularly bad news for the smaller communities where these positions will be lost, when you take into account the people and businesses that directly and indirectly depend on them. The government may claim that Canadians will get more for their tax dollar from the Department, but frankly I just don’t see how taking jobs and money out of those areas will accomplish anything positive".
DFO activities affected by the cuts include the conservation and protection of Canada’s fisheries, the management, conservation and protection of Canada's oceans, hydrographic surveying and charting, the conduct of environmental assessments, and aquaculture and stock assessment. In addition, the Canadian Coast Guard is also impacted as part of its reorganization plans.
"Strategic Reviews aren't paper exercises and they have very real, negative consequences on the people, programs and services that protect Canadians. You can't keep cutting staff and budgets and expect government departments to keep serving the Public Good as if nothing happened", concluded Corbett.
The Professional Institute of the Public Service of Canada represents some 60,000 professionals and scientists across Canada’s public sector.
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Topic: DFO Cuts (Read 3456 times)