Public servants with Global Affairs Canada (GAC) who have been teleworking full-time for the past several years from cities such as Montreal are now being required to work in offices in the National Capital Region.
The workers were hired before or during the COVID-19 pandemic to work remotely, and some say they’re being forced to resign because they can’t relocate.
“I’m angry,” said one employee in French whose identity Radio-Canada agreed to protect because they fear reprisal from the employer.
Like others who spoke to Radio-Canada, the public servant said their family and personal circumstances make it difficult for them to move to the Ottawa-Gatineau region, nor can they commute there three or more times a week.
Efficiencies /s
This is for strategic security. Remote work all depends on US tech and is a liability. Pulling global affairs to in office is a matter of national security. Get with the program.
If that was true, they wouldn’t be using office or OneDrive.
Its a rather abrupt change of circumstances don’t you think? Give it time. Everyone will divest of American tech.
Not really, Americans were our enemy before Trump and they’ll be our enemy after Trump.
See NAFTA.
I would have guess “big oil” for 300.
That being said I don’t see why anyone would be opposed to other people having the option to work remotely, as it does not take away from your option to choose to work in a office environment five days a week if it’s more enjoyable to you. Other people in the office are not “decorative” or considered “furniture”.
Some benefits for people that prefer to work “in office” if other are allowed to work remotely (that I can think of from the top of my head).
- less people on the morning commute meaning a quicker and more enjoyable trip into work.
- less distraction when trying to concentrate.
- less chance to catch a cold or virus.
- cleaner facilities from less use, and less wear and tear of office equipment.
And I say this as someone that goes into a office environment three days a week (because I enjoy “getting out” and it’s closer to a bar I like), but I do miss the times when the morning commute was a 20 min drive as opposed to a 40-50 min commute.
I am talking about national security and continuity of government in preparation for a possible war.
You are talking about your personal convenience and your favourite bar.
If you work for global affairs, I hope you quit.
We have the tech for encrypted communications, and the infrastructure is the same what you have communications with someone across the country or the cubicle over.
It all goes through SSC anyways.
I agree on both your points. Both points are completely irrelevant.
Encryption on compromised platforms is pointless. They can surveil/sabotage in a multitude of ways or can turn it off.
Communications with the cubicle over can be verbal, written, sneakernet etc and a number of ad-hoc electronic platforms we control.
But it’s not. Everything is on teams, outlook and office 365. Physical location doesn’t change anything at this point.
Its like you read, but are deliberately not understanding the situation.
Edit: I’ll spell it out carefully in case it wasn’t clear. It’s contingency planning in the event of disruptive hostilities from the US.