For immediate release
July 23, 2013
Ottawa – On July 23, 2013, the Honourable Tony Clement, President of the Treasury Board, made the following statement:
The Government of Canada has presented the Professional Association of Foreign Service Officers an offer that is fair and reasonable to both employees and taxpayers.
Last week, the Professional Association of Foreign Service Officers requested the Government enter into binding arbitration to end the union’s strike. The Government is willing to enter into arbitration, subject to certain conditions.
These conditions are subject to negotiation confidence and cannot be shared publicly. We will continue to bargain in good faith and we appreciate the bargaining agent’s efforts at finding a resolution to the strike.
It is important to note that Foreign Service Officers have unique jobs that cannot be compared to others. These jobs are substantively different from public service lawyers, economists or commerce officers. The Foreign Service also has no recruitment or retention issues.
Our goal is to have diplomatic, consular and other services to Canadians fully restored as quickly as possible. We continue to take steps to ensure the timely processing of visas.
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For more information, contact:
Matthew Conway
Press Secretary
Office of the President of the Treasury Board
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Media Relations
Treasury Board of Canada Secretariat
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