Mr. Speaker, the threat of a widespread public service work stoppage is of concern to all Canadians. Any work stoppage has a dramatic and negative impact not only on the economy but also on the lives of Canadians in a most direct way.
It is therefore critical that both parties, the Treasury Board and representatives of PSAC, make a renewed and sincere effort on their return to the bargaining table. Both sides, and I emphasize both, must in good faith seek a fair and equitable resolution to the outstanding issues.
Public service workers of Canada perform a key function and have demonstrated a high degree of professionalism in conducting government business.
For collective bargaining to work, both Treasury Board and PSAC must negotiate with the objective of finding a settlement and must stay at the table until they get the job done.