Close to 700 Agriculture Canada employees across Canada found out May 9 that their jobs may be on the line.
The department has not yet indicated publicly how many positions will be eliminated, but one internal estimate is that more than 400 positions could be eliminated.
Employees receiving the notices will have to compete for the pool of positions remaining.
The agriculture department was the hardest hit in job notices sent to seven departments.
Particularly targeted were positions in science, environment and adaptation sections of the department.
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“These high-value employees are involved in the development of crop management strategies, in minimizing the impact of the agricultural industry on the environment, in supporting the sustainability and the profitability of the agricultural sector,” said a statement from the Professional Institute of the Public Service of Canada that represents scientists, among others.
It said more than 200 scientists, research directors, engineers and technology specialists had received letters that their position could be lost.
Bob Kingston, president of the Public Service Alliance of Canada’s agriculture union, said the targeting of science and technology workers is part of a government abandonment of science and research.
“Everybody knows this government has no use for long-term science,” he said.
In the House of Commons May 10, agriculture minister Gerry Ritz said the plan to reduce the number of employees was prudent management, reducing government overlap with services that can be provided by others, including the private sector.
“What we’re looking for is efficient and effective use of Canadian taxpayer dollars,” he said.
“Farmers are taxpayers, too, and they expect us at Agriculture Canada and across the government to make efficient use of those tax dollars. We will continue to analyze our programming, put the right foot forward and build a strong farmgate in this country.”
Liberal agriculture critic accused Ritz of vandalizing the department and undercutting its research ability.
The job cuts were forecast in departmental plans tabled in Parliament in late March that projected hundreds of job cuts in Agriculture Canada and the Canadian Food Inspection Agency over the next three years.
