The Canada Employment and Immigration Union is organizing in the face of significant program spending cuts and job cuts to the federal public service announced in Budget 2025.

“This budget exceeds Harper-era job cuts while slashing programs, replacing workers with artificial intelligence, and giving money to corporations” said Rubina Boucher, CEIU National President.
 

The budget aims to eliminate 40,000 federal public service jobs by 2028, starting with 16,000 in the 2025-26 alone. It also drastically cuts departmental and program spending.

“We don’t want your Champagne budget,” said one CEIU member in reference to federal Finance Minister, François-Philippe Champagne.

Employment and Social Development Canada

ESDC is very clear about eliminating programs and cutting spending in the budget.

“ESDC will shift funding away from programs where there is reduced or limited need,” their Comprehensive Expenditure Review submission reads. “ESDC will decrease funding to underperforming programs and those with limited effectiveness and overlap with other federal initiatives.”

ESDC is set to introduce “operational efficiencies” by increasing the use of AI to “streamline and automate internal processes” while also “consolidating” management and administrative support.

Cutting through the jargon, we know cuts when we see them!

Drastic changes to immigration and refugees

Immigration is a driver of the Canadian economy, and this country had a reputation as a welcoming place for migrants, refugees, and asylum seekers.

The budget and the 2026-28 Federal Immigration Levels Plan reduces and caps permanent residency numbers while drastically cutting intake of temporary workers.

Significant cuts to temporary foreign student admissions are already impacting Canadian universities, colleges and communities.

Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) will be “rationalizing programming,” using technology to “improve productivity,” and “reevaluating human resources requirements, including management layers.”

While the ​​Immigration an​d Refugee Board will receive direct funding to improve asylum claim processing efficiency, the overall message is cuts.

CEIU demands clarity, will defend members and programs

The budget and “Comprehensive Expenditure Review” are vague, rushed, and have created a climate of stress and uncertainty.

“We will act in a fully transparent way,” wrote Michael Sabia, Clerk of the Privy Council and Secretary to the Cabinet, in his message to public service workers following the budget’s release. “Those affected will have all the information we can give them. We will be open and straightforward.”

We intend to hold him to his word – to the letter – and have already contacted departmental leadership requesting to meet in the immediate future.

CEIU members and the Canadian public deserve clarity on program spending reductions, job cuts, and departmental plans that affect countless Canadians.

There’s no sugar coating it: this is a difficult time for the public service and our labour movement.

Our strength is our membership, and we will be hosting regional and national events to engage with members.

CEIU will support all our members as this budget is implemented. In collaboration with other unions and community partners, we will fight back against job cuts and program spending cuts!