The following op-ed by Sharon DeSousa, PSAC National President, was published in the Ottawa Citizen. 

Across Canada, people are worried about their futures. The impact of tariffs, the rising cost of living and a national housing crisis have workers and families anxious about what tomorrow brings.

Will they lose their jobs? Will their rent be raised? Will they be able to afford groceries?  

During these difficult times, people are looking for stability and a soft place to land when life’s challenges knock them down.  

The Carney government has named its first cabinet to lead the country through the challenges ahead. This new Cabinet and government need to prioritize protecting and investing in Canada’s safety net: our public services. 

Now more than ever is the time to invest in a strong, reliable federal public service, not cut the jobs of workers who provide those vital social programs and benefits. This is an opportunity for a new government to invest in our country’s future and support the workers who keep Canada running.  

On the campaign trail, Prime Minister Mark Carney's repeated commitment to “capping, not cutting” the public service while adding 1,000 border service agents was welcome. But it also raised questions about what hiring freezes could mean for government departments that have already endured the Liberals’ recent spending reductions and job cuts. 

On the other hand, Conservative leader Pierre Poilievre threatened to slash up to 17,000 public service jobs per year through attrition. On Election Day, the voters in Poilievre’s riding of Carleton - a riding that happens to have over 4,000 public service workers – turned out in record numbers to topple Poilievre.  

The message was heard loud and clear: threatening the integrity of Canada’s public service comes with a heavy cost. 

Now that the election dust has settled, we have been left with a razor-thin minority government. Parties will have come together to pass legislation that will help workers and families – uniting in the face of trade war threats from the U.S. and a growing affordability crisis here at home.  

Canada's democracy works best when there is a diversity of voices in Parliament. A government that works together, beyond party lines, is what helped secure dental care, expand pharmacare, create anti-scab legislation and launch affordable childcare.  

We have an opportunity to make Canada’s public services second to none and create the most dependable social safety net among the world’s leading democracies. 

We’re ready to roll up our sleeves and work with Prime Minister Carney’s new government to make that vision a reality.