Elections 2025: Your Rights as a Federal Employee. Vote to Protect Canada’s Future. Top Issues According to PIPSC - Listed and Left Out.
Vote & don't be afraid to speak publicly on election issues and support political parties or candidates at public meetings!
TL;DR:
Over the past five years, public servants have lived in constant fear of speaking publicly on issues related to government decisions. But it doesn't have to be this way. As emphasized by the Union, public servants have the same rights as any other citizen to actively participate in elections—including speaking publicly on election issues, supporting political parties and candidates at public events, and writing letters, articles, or blog posts endorsing them. Don’t be afraid: you have the right to express your support for any party or candidate as strongly and as publicly as you feel necessary. Show this article to anyone who is in doubt.
The following information is provided by the PIPSC (taken from official PIPSC site: pipsc.ca)
Vote to Protect Canada’s Future
“As members of PIPSC, we serve at the intersection of policy and people. When we go to the polls on April 28, 2025, we will have the chance to exercise our democratic rights while making a difference for the public service.
Our union doesn't just protect its members – we stand as guardians of the services relied on by 40 million people across this country.
How we vote will directly impact our workplace rights, our financial security, and the public services we provide and depend on.
The strength of our union comes from our dedication not just to our own wellbeing but to the public good.
As we head toward election day, consider what's at stake and engage your fellow members in these important conversations.
Together, we protect more than our jobs – we protect Canada's future.”
Quoted from https://pipsc.ca/vote2025
Your rights as a federal employee: separating myth from reality
Source: https://pipsc.ca/vote2025/election-toolkit
MYTH:
As a Federal employee, I must remain completely non-partisan during elections. Participating in political activities or union campaigns risks my career and could lead to reprimands.REALITY:
Nearly all federal employees have the same democratic rights as any Canadian citizen. In a landmark 1991 case, PIPSC secured a Supreme Court of Canada ruling that established these protections, confirming that restrictions on political participation violated the Charter of Rights and Freedoms' guarantees of freedom of association and expression.
As a federal employee, you can:
display election signs at your home
speak publicly on election issues
support political parties or candidates at public meetings
write to newspapers endorsing candidates or parties
canvas door-to-door for candidates
volunteer in campaign offices
assist parties or candidates on election day
contribute funds to candidates or political parties
Important boundaries to respect:
no political activities in your workplace
no use of employer's electronic devices for political communications
no public criticism of your specific department or agency
no activities that conflict with your professional responsibilities
Did you know? Chance encounters with candidates at community events or when they canvass your neighbourhood provide perfect opportunities to engage them on issues that matter to you.
PIPSC’s Top Priorities and the Critical Issues Left Out
The following nine issues are listed as the official top priorities for PIPSC:
What’s striking—and deeply unfortunate—is what’s not included.
Nowhere do we see mention of violations of fundamental human rights and freedoms: bodily autonomy, informed consent, freedom of religion.
Nor is there any acknowledgment of the fraud, propaganda, or censorship of scientific debate used by the government to shape narratives and suppress dissent during the pandemic.
Missing, too, are any proposals for accountability or support for those affected by vaccine injuries, psychological trauma, discrimination, and social ostracism—consequences that, for some, escalated to suicidal thoughts.
Clearly, these issues are not a priority for the current PIPSC leadership that drafted this “Election Toolkit.”
And that is precisely why we—regular members, and everyday citizens—must take the lead ourselves. That said, we thank them for providing a framework that we can now adapt and expand to include the voices and realities they left out.