Thank you, Mr. Chair.
As you heard in testimony from various union organizations when this bill was being introduced by the government, we were struck by the fact that public service employees were not covered by the same provisions. Legitimate questions were asked. For example, how can such an act not apply to federally regulated businesses, and why can't our own government, as an employer, protect federal public servants?
The purpose of the amendment is to ensure that the provisions of part 1 of the Canada Labour Code pertaining to replacement workers, which we are now studying, apply to the public service and its employees, with appropriate modifications, of course.
The principle and spirit of this amendment are meant to ensure that public service employees benefit from the same provisions.