Budget Implementation Act – Bill C-59: Contacting Members of Parliament

Take a few minutes to call or send an email to your Member of Parliament with a message about your right to free collective bargaining.

Why we are contacting MPs

We need to let MPs know that we are angry with the government’s interference in the collective bargaining process and its latest attempt to curb our right to free collective bargaining. We will be working with our union to maintain that right.

Speaking points

Use some of these points when contacting your MP. Personalize your call or email with your own experience with sick leave.

• In 2007, the Supreme Court of Canada ruled that freedom of association contained in the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms includes the right to free collective bargaining.

• The latest Conservative budget implementation bill (C-59) violates that right. It will allow the government to by-pass the bargaining process and make unilateral changes to the sick leave provisions in its collective agreements with federal public service unions.

• The government is determined to force its employees to choose between getting paid and going to work sick.

• The change that it wants to make will drastically change the current sick leave provisions. But the government has never made a case that this was necessary.

• Both the Parliamentary Budget Officer and Statistics Canada have shown that the government’s claims that sick leave is abused or too costly are wrong.

• The government has not revealed to Canadians just how much more it will cost for a large insurance company to administer the short-term disability plan the government wants to impose. Nor has it explained how the public service will be a healthier place to work when employees are forced to battle it out with the insurance company over their claims.

What to ask if your MP is a Conservative

We know that government MPs are obliged to support budget bills. That’s why the Conservatives put changes to so many different laws into them.

However, you can let your MP know that legislating any changes to collective agreements is not acceptable and that you expect your MP and your government to respect your collective bargaining rights.

What to ask if your MP is not a Conservative

To vote against Bill C-59, the budget implementation bill.

To work with her/his party to commit to supporting the repeal of legislation that violates the right to free collective bargaining.

Tips for calls or emails

• Be polite when speaking with the MP or a member of the MP’s staff, or in an email.
• If calling, be as concise as possible.
• Don’t make threats.

How to find your MP

If you need to find out who is your MP, use your postal code on the Parliament of Canada website to locate her/him.

How to contact your MP

You may call MPs at their office in the riding or at their office in Ottawa. Parliament is in recess during the week of May 18 and MPs may be back in their ridings. Phone numbers and email addresses are available on the Parliament of Canada website.

What to do after your call or email

If you called the MP:

Send an email to the Regional Executive Vice president for the Atlantic, Jeannie Baldwin (baldwij@psac-afpc.com) letting us know:

• Who you are and where to reach you
• Which MP you contacted and when
• What commitments if any the MP made
• Anything the MP said that is of interest

If you emailed your MP:

Send a copy of your email to baldwij@psac-afpc.com as well as any response you received.