NEWS RELEASE

April 1, 2004                                                                                                    For Immediate Release

WEST FROZEN OUT OF PUBLIC SERVICE JOBS IN OTTAWA

Breitkreuz seconds a bill to bring fairness to Ottawa’s hiring practices for public servants.

Yorkton – Yesterday, Garry Breitkreuz, Deputy House Leader for the Official Opposition and MP for Yorkton-Melville, seconded a bill intended to bring some fairness to Ottawa’s hiring practices for public servants.  “I was appalled when my Conservative colleague from Nova Scotia, Bill Casey, produced twenty public service job advertisements from just one day that all required applicants to live in either Eastern Ontario or Western Quebec. He pointed out that all applications from the four Western provinces would be automatically rejected because of their postal codes.  When Mr. Casey said he had a bill that was going to fix this injustice, I was sold,” said Breitkreuz.

“Although Mr. Casey represents constituents in Eastern Canada, he said that each one of these twenty job ads sends a message to people in Western Canada that their ideas are not wanted in Ottawa, their contributions are not wanted, and the Liberal government certainly does not want Western Canadians working in the capital city of their own country.  I hope I can pay back the favour when Easterners need help from a Saskatchewan MP,” stated Breitkreuz.

Casey’s Private Members Bill C-510 has been written with the goal of amending the current Public Service Employment Act, so that Canadians have enhanced access to jobs in the National Capital Region by removing specific geographic limits in selection processes conducted by the Public Service Commission.  “It might seem like a small thing to some, but this bill would help address another one of the causes of Western alienation,” commented Breitkreuz.  “Much more is needed to fix the problems in Ottawa, but opening up Ottawa jobs to people from all provinces would be a very positive first step.”

After seconding Mr. Casey’s bill, Breitkreuz commented, “Most government programs are of little benefit to the people of Saskatchewan.  A large part of the problem is that bureaucrats and politicians in Ottawa have very little understanding of the concerns of people living in the West.  Ottawa’s hiring practices are alienating Canadians who live outside of Eastern Ontario or Western Quebec, and it has to stop.  The Liberals won’t stop it, so we will,” promised Breitkreuz.

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