Canada's Public Service to Face Cuts
Canada's top bureaucrat, Clerk of the Privy Council Michael Sabia, has warned that the government's spending reduction target will result in cuts to programs and jobs in the public service.
The federal budget aims to lower program spending and administration costs by about $60 billion over the next five years. This plan will lead to reductions in some programs and the cancellation of others, according to Sabia.
- The government intends to have 10 per cent fewer federal employees in four years.
- This amounts to a loss of about 40,000 jobs from the peak of 368,000 jobs two years ago. Reduced spending will shrink the size of the public service, says Sabia.
The government plans to trim the payroll through attrition, but some positions will be cut.
Author's summary: Canada's public service faces cuts and job losses.