Senator Ringuette was pleased yesterday when her bill S-201, one that intends to eliminate geographic criteria as a factor for eligibility in appointment processes and to also ensure that appointments to, and from within the public service are free from bureaucratic patronage, was carried at committee with an amendment for a third reading in the Senate. The amendment agreed upon removes the National Area of Selection for internal competitions.
“The current selection process is unfair and limits the access of all Canadians to jobs in the Public Service. I believe wholeheartedly that all Canadians, in any province, have the right to earn a living and if qualified, have equal access to all Public Service jobs” said Senator Ringuette.
Presently, the Public Service Commission can set geographic criteria to determine eligibility to compete in external competitions for positions in the federal Public Service. Yesterday, Conservative Senators of the Standing Committee on National Finance tried amending Senator Ringuette’s bill to keep the exact same selection process so the Public Service Commission could still set geographic barriers. They also tried amending it so it would only come in effect two years after receiving royal assessment, which would leave Canadians around the country waiting for even longer.
“I am thankful that at the committee level, we did not give the discretion to the Public Service Commission to keep geographic barriers on public service jobs and that we did not add the two years extension to change their methods. Canadians around the country have been waiting long enough for this to change and if we open up the process we need to open it completely, without exceptions” stated Senator Ringuette.