The Voice of Canada News|
Doug Ford, Ontario’s incoming premier has put public service under a hiring freeze in order to control spending as he re-examines the province’s books.
According to a spokesperson, Doug Ford said the Progressive Conservative leader has also directed the government, ministries to cancel “subscription-based services” and to restrict out-of-province travel. Simon Jefferies further added that “the people of Ontario work hard for their money and they expect their tax dollars to go to the services we all depend on. We are also going to go line by line through the government’s books to ensure value of money for the people of Ontario’s tax dollars”. Mr. Ford said during the campaign that he would find $6-billion in efficiencies in government spending, and would do so without cutting out any public service jobs, but he never explained where he would find those savings.
President of the Ontario Public Service Employees Union, Warren Thomas, cautioned that the hiring freeze would lead to growing delays for the government services and longer lineups in the upcoming months as vacant positions are unfilled and retired workers are not replaced. Mr. Thomas further added that “We look after you from birth to death and everything in between. Everything you can imagine that affects your life s included in this freeze. I hope it doesn’t go on forever.”
Any other hiring, aside from the lateral moves within the public service or appointments required to fulfil collective agreements, must be officially approved by the cabinet office before going forward. The tory cabinet is expected to be officially sworn in on June 29, however, a memo sent to deputy ministers and posted on the government website said the spending restrictions are effective immediately.
Other cut backs include a ban on providing food and drinks for staff meetings and events, the cancellation of subscriptions to paper- based media such as magazines and newspapers, reduced attendance at out-of-province events including intergovernmental meetings. Ford’s office hasn’t commented on the amount of money the new measures were expected to save. Thomas said he sent Ford a letter last week asking for a meeting and reminding him of his promise not to lay off any workers in his belt-tightening efforts, but said the premier-designate has yet to take him up on the offer.
