Veterans Affairs employees pushing back against Ottawa’s return-to-office order
Veterans Affairs employees pushing back against Ottawa’s return-to-office order
https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/prince-edward-island/pei-veterans-affairs-employees-union-return-to-office-order-9.7083218
Publish Date: 2026-02-11 05:00:00
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The union representing Veterans Affairs Canada employees is fighting a return-to-office order issued by the federal Liberal government last week.
Last Thursday, the Treasury Board of Canada announced that every federal worker must return to office work for a minimum of four days a week starting July 6.
“For me, it’s not productive for anyone, and as of now it’s more productive for them to work from home,” said Toufic El-Daher, the national president of the Union of Veterans Affairs Employees.
“It’s a very, very sad and very wrong decision.”
The announcement led at least one Liberal MP to break ranks and criticize the decision, while the Public Service Alliance of Canada called it “a slap in the face to all federal public service workers across this country.”
In a news release, the Professional Institute of the Public Service of Canada used Prime Minister Mark Carney’s own words against him, citing an excerpt from his 2021 book Values: “The transition from home to work involves only a few steps from bed to computer.… I prefer that.”
Toufic El-Daher, the national president of the Union of Veterans Affairs Employees, says the return-to-office order ‘doesn’t make sense.’ (Zoom)
El-Daher said workers are stressed — and they’re unsure where they’d be working.
“The major issue we’re facing is to see if there’s enough space for everyone in the current offices,” he said.
“Imposing such a mandate across the country benefits no one and I don’t think we’re going in the right direction.”
Daniel J. MacDonald Building under renovations
Veterans Affairs Canada’s national headquarters are located in the Daniel J. MacDonald building in Charlottetown, P.E.I., which is under major renovations. Work began three years ago, and was initially projected to cost…
