Poilievre argues he'll protect Radio-Canada while defunding CBC
During the French-language leaders' debate on Wednesday, Radio-Canada journalist and debate moderator Patrice Roy asked Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre how it is possible for him to both protect Radio-Canada while at the same time defunding CBC. Poilievre says there is a role for the government in funding French news services. NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh says he would protect both Radio-Canada and CBC.
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CTV News
27 minutes ago
- CTV News
Public service shrinks by nearly 10,000, with tax, immigration hit the hardest
Canada Revenue Agency national headquarters is shown in Ottawa on June 28, 2024. (Sean Kilpatrick / The Canadian Press) OTTAWA — The federal public service shed almost 10,000 people last year, with the Canada Revenue Agency and Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada losing the most employees. The last time the public service contracted was in 2015, when the number of people employed dropped just slightly from 257,138 to 257,034. The number of public servants employed by the federal government fell from 367,772 to 357,965 over the last year. The CRA lost 6,656 employees between 2024 and 2025, dropping from 59,155 to 52,499. The size of the Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada workforce fell from 13,092 to 11,148, a loss of 1,944 employees. The Public Health Agency of Canada lost 879 employees, Shared Services Canada dropped 608 employees, Health Canada lost 559 and the Canadian Food Inspection Agency lost 453. Some departments and agencies saw their workforces expand over the past year. The RCMP hired another 911 public servants, Elections Canada hired another 479, National Defence hired an extra 381 and Global Affairs Canada took on another 218. The data does not include employees on leave without pay, locals employed outside of Canada, RCMP regular force and civilian members, Canadian Armed Forces members, employees of the National Capital Commission and those who work for the Canadian Security Intelligence Service. Most of those who lost their jobs were 'term' employees — people hired for a limited period of time. Between 2024 and 2025, the public service lost almost 8,000 term employees. The government also dropped almost 3,000 casual employees — people who can't be employed by any one government department or agency for more than 90 days — and 1,750 students. The number of permanent federal public service employees increased by about 2,700 last year. More than three-quarters of the people who left the federal public service last year were under the age of 35. Of those who lost their jobs, 4,413 were between the ages of 25 and 29, another 3,354 were between the ages of 20 and 24, 563 were aged 30 to 34 and 246 were under 20. Lori Turnbull, a professor of political science at Dalhousie University, said it's not surprising that most of the positions eliminated were term positions — short-term positions that don't have to be renewed. 'These contract positions are often vehicles for entry into the public service,' Turnbull said. David McLaughlin, executive editor of Canadian Government Executive Media and former president and CEO of the Institute on Governance, said term employees and younger staffers are the easiest people for governments to cut. 'If you're paying people out, they don't require big packages, so they are the easiest, cheapest employees to let go,' he said. But by dropping younger employees whose careers are just beginning, he said, the government risks missing out on the kind of cultural change and innovation the public service badly needs. 'You run the longer-term risk by letting go younger people who may be dedicating their careers and to public service,' he said. 'You are simply reinforcing the older sub-performers that may exist in the public service. 'I would not recommend this as an approach to resolving public service spending.' The government spent $43.3 billion on public servants' salaries in 2023-24, according to the parliamentary budget officer. It spent a $65.3 billion on all employee compensation, including pensions, overtime and bonuses. PBO data also indicates that, in 2023, the average salary for a full-time public servant was $98,153. The Treasury Board of Canada Secretariat said it could not provide an average salary for public servants for 2024 or 2025. Public service employees have been braced for layoffs since the previous Liberal government launched efforts to refocus federal spending in 2023. In the 2024 budget, the previous government said it expected the public service population to decline by around 5,000 full-time positions over the subsequent four years. It also said that, starting on April 1, 2025, departments and agencies would be required to cover a portion of increased operating costs with existing resources. Prime Minister Mark Carney has vowed to cap, not cut, the federal public service, though his government has given little indication of what that might entail. The prime minister also has promised to launch a 'comprehensive' review of government spending with the aim of increasing its productivity. Hundreds of workers in the Canada Revenue Agency, Employment and Social Development Canada and Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada have been laid off recently. Those organizations also saw their numbers increase during the pandemic years. Turnbull said that, with the pandemic over and immigration numbers being scaled down, the federal government sees this downsizing as 'logical.' McLaughlin, meanwhile, warned that downsizing only offers 'episodic savings' and wondered whether service delivery can keep up with demand. This report by The Canadian Press was first published June 13, 2025. Catherine Morrison, The Canadian Press
CBC
37 minutes ago
- CBC
Court declines to answer Nova Scotia's question on Chignecto Isthmus
Nova Scotia's highest court says it will not weigh in on who has legislative authority over the Chignecto Isthmus, calling the province's question "too problematic to answer." Nearly two years ago, the Nova Scotia government asked the Nova Scotia Court of Appeal a question about the narrow and low-lying strip of land that connects Nova Scotia to New Brunswick. It asked: "Is the infrastructure which protects the interprovincial transportation, trade and communication links across the Chignecto Isthmus within the exclusive Legislative Authority of the Parliament of Canada?" Over several days earlier this year, a panel of three judges heard arguments from lawyers for the governments of Nova Scotia and Canada about the province's question. Prince Edward Island and New Brunswick also made submissions as interveners in the case and supported Nova Scotia's position. Enlisting the court in a political dispute In a decision released Friday, the court declined to answer Nova Scotia's question, saying it was "vague," "imprecise" and had "political undertones." "The background leading up to the Question suggests it is an attempt to enlist the Court in a political dispute — that is — who is responsible to pay for the remediation of the Isthmus?" wrote Chief Justice Michael Wood, Justice David Farrar and Justice Anne Derrick. The judges referred to the protracted dispute between the federal government and the governments of Nova Scotia and New Brunswick over funding for bolstering the dikes that protect the isthmus. Upgrades to the aging dike system are estimated to cost $650 million over 10 years. Experts say the work is necessary to protect the area against rising sea levels and worsening storms caused by climate change. Inundation of the isthmus could cut off overland trade and damage communication lines between Nova Scotia and the rest of Canada. Ottawa has offered to pay half, with Nova Scotia and New Brunswick covering a quarter each. The provinces both agreed to this, but Premier Tim Houston has continued to push for full federal coverage. Houston has said that the court case would help decide who should pay, in spite of lawyers for his government saying they were not looking to the court to determine financial responsibility. "We recognize our obligation to provide advice when a reference is made to this Court, however, the Governor in Council should not be using the reference process for a political purpose. The reference process is not a mechanism for achieving political ends," the judges wrote. All constitutional questions are political, Houston says Houston said he was disappointed the court chose not to answer. "When the Court is asked a question about interprovincial affairs, it should answer it," the premier said in a statement sent to CBC News by his press secretary. "Every single constitutional question of the court that crosses federal and provincial jurisdictions has potential political overtones. This is not a legitimate reason to avoid answering an important, reasonable question." He pointed to the carbon tax as an example of a political topic that the Supreme Court of Canada ruled on. The judges pointed to another example from the Supreme Court of Canada in which the court "warned about courts being drawn into a political controversy." In discussion around a reference question about Quebec secession, the court argued there must be a "sufficient legal component to warrant the intervention of the judicial branch." The court said the question was vague insofar as it wasn't tied to any new legislation and would require speculation about future legislation. The decision noted that both Nova Scotia and New Brunswick have a history of passing legislation about the isthmus. "The vaguely worded Question intended to foist jurisdiction on Canada concerning a subject in relation to which the provinces have been legislating for decades would be too problematic to answer." The judges said the question was imprecise in describing the infrastructure that needs protecting. "There is no description of the size, scope and location of the dykes at issue, which would create uncertainty about the limits of any decision we might make regarding jurisdiction over them." In response to the court's decision, Nova Scotia MP and federal Justice Minister Sean Fraser said Ottawa "remains committed" to protecting the isthmus. "We stand ready to work together with Nova Scotia and New Brunswick, and we will pay half of the project's cost, $325 million," Fraser said in an emailed statement.
CTV News
37 minutes ago
- CTV News
AFN says wildfires are forcing it to postpone annual general assembly to September
Assembly of First Nations (AFN) National Chief Cindy Woodhouse Nepinak speaks during a new conference on Parliament Hill in Ottawa on Wednesday, May 28, 2025. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Sean Kilpatrick OTTAWA — The Assembly of First Nations is pushing its annual general assembly from July to September due to ongoing wildfire emergencies across the country. The decision to postpone comes as First Nations mount opposition to federal and provincial plans to fast-track major infrastructure projects as a way to shore up an economy under tariff attack by the United States. The AFN uses its annual general and special assemblies to receive mandates from chiefs on how to proceed with lobbying efforts. The AFN is hosting an emergency meeting with chiefs on Monday, where they'll be briefed on the federal fast-track legislation known as C-5. That legislation has two parts — one to break down federal barriers to internal trade and the other to fast-track major projects — and the federal government has said it intends to pass it by the end of next week. AFN National Chief Cindy Woodhouse Nepinak has expressed alarm about that timeline and has warned that First Nations have not been properly consulted. This report by The Canadian Press was first published June 13, 2025. Alessia Passafiume, The Canadian Press
