The Canadian Union of Public Employees (CUPE) is sounding the alarm after a report in the Globe and Mail revealed that the federal government is planning deep, multi-year cuts to direct program spending — cuts that will devastate the quality of public services Canadians rely on and put tens of thousands of jobs at risk.
Carney’s proposed Comprehensive Expenditure Review mandates cuts of 7.5% in 2026, 10% in 2027, and 15% in 2028, potentially slashing up to $19 billion in program funding.
“Not even Stephen Harper could dream of cuts this deep,” said CUPE National President Mark Hancock. “Whether it’s dental care, services for Indigenous communities, environmental programs or public sector jobs – everything is on the chopping block except military spending.”
The scope of these cuts rivals the devastating rollbacks of the 1990s, which led to mass layoffs and privatization of services. CUPE is especially concerned about the impact on service quality, accessibility, and the federal public service’s ability to deliver on critical issues like housing, health care, and climate action amidst these draconian rollbacks.
CUPE is alarmed by the speed at which Carney is aiming to tear down the public service, the services they deliver, and the people who they employ. Whereas the 1990s were the result of a two-year process, Carney is demanding departments identify what will go on the chopping block in the next 60 days. It’s important to note that, on a per capita basis, the federal public service is smaller today than it was in the mid-1980s.
“Canadians didn’t vote for cuts, and we won’t stand for them either,” said CUPE National Secretary-Treasurer Candace Rennick. “We will fight to defend against the devastating impacts that Mr. Carney’s cuts will have on communities from coast to coast to coast.”
CUPE is calling on the government to reverse course and commit to investing in the people and the services that help our communities thrive, rather than rushing to tear them down.