Opinion | Why Ottawa’s return-to-office mandate will hurt taxpayers

 

Sharon DeSousa, President of the Public Service Alliance of Canada (PSAC), is leading a fight against the Canadian government’s mandate requiring federal employees to return to the office three days a week.

Representing more than 245,000 workers, DeSousa in her interview with me critiques this decision as arbitrary, short-sighted and ultimately damaging to productivity, taxpayers and the environment.

It also mirrors troubling policies from our neighbour down south, where the Trump administration is using federal employee return-to-office mandates to prompt resignations, threatening employee morale, engagement, recruitment and retention.

This legal action seeks to hold the government accountable for what DeSousa calls arbitrary and poorly justified policymaking. A judge’s decision to allow the case to proceed marks a significant step forward, as the federal government has rarely faced such scrutiny over its workplace policies.

For taxpayers, this lawsuit represents more than a labour dispute — it challenges wasteful policies that fail to consider their broader social and economic implications.

The consequences of the mandate extend far beyond the immediate frustrations of workers. Increased commuting leads to more traffic, emissions, and environmental harm, while reduced work-life balance contributes to stress and burnout.

https://www.thestar.com/business/opinion/why-ottawas-return-to-office-mandate-will-hurt-taxpayers/article_88fd9b86-b984-11ef-a543-43d8589ff004.html