Public Service Alliance of Canada BC

Public services better at ensuring accessibility

The Harper government has been delivering on its philosophy of smaller government and dominance of the “free” market in the past year. The Conservatives have made deeper cuts to government services and reduced federal revenues by introducing more tax cuts. Their policies have fast-tracked the conditions for rampant privatization and further cuts to social services and programs which in turn, will further marginalize equity groups, including people with disabilities.

The Tories announced program cuts in September that will reduce or eliminate funding to programs that benefited equity groups. There have been severe cuts to Status of Women, the Court Challenges Program and social development programs under the Human Resources and Social Development Canada (HRSDC). These cuts will roll back the gains made by persons with disabilities and will further affect their accessibility and full participation to our society’s economic, political and social life.

The PSAC’s recently adopted “Defending Quality Public Services” policy will focus our union’s efforts to fight against privatization and globalization with a goal, not only to support a strong economy, but also to ensure fairness and equality.

The policy calls for more quality public services through adequate financing, improved accountability, better jobs and accessible, affordable and relevant services. The campaign is born out of the union’s strong belief that social services and programs, including health care, childcare, environmental protection and justice are best delivered within a public, accountable system rather than a-for- profit system concerned ultimately by the bottom line, not quality services.

It has been six years after victories in the Supreme Court that redefined employers’ duty to accommodate and four years after the federal government revised its Duty to Accommodate Persons with Disabilities in the Federal Public Service. Recently, the PSAC, through its involvement in the National Joint Council, was successful in pushing for changes to the Rehabilitation provisions of the federal disability insurance plan, getting rid of a practice that penalized federal public service workers with disabilities who received retroactive pay. The union has also recently adopted a scent-free policy and integrated an equity lens in its work, as was evident in the discussions of bargaining demands at the Treasury Board and Parks Regional Bargaining Conferences.

The PSAC remains committed to working for further progress in the fight for true equality for and full participation of persons with disabilities in our workplaces, union and society.