Imagine this: a candidate knocks on your door. You’ve got one minute to ask them where they stand on the issues that matter most to you.
Do you know what you’d say? Here are some questions to consider:
"Public services are the foundation of strong communities. We need to invest in them, not cut them. Cutting public services leads to delays, weaker protections, and more stress on families. Our priority is to strengthen the services people rely on so that no one is left behind."
“We have too many government workers.”
“We aren’t giving anyone pink slips, it’s through attrition.”
✅ Good answers:
"Public service workers deliver critical programs like Employment Insurance and the Canada Pension Plan. Without them, families risk experiencing hardship due to a lack of support. We must ensure they have the resources and staffing needed to serve people across Canada. That means fair wages, proper staffing levels, and investments inservice improvements."
🚩 Red flags to watch for:
“Private companies are more efficient.”
“We should run government more like a business.”
“Technology can replace a lot of these jobs.”
✅ Good answers:
"Our commitment is clear: we will protect and strengthen public services, not cut them. Whether it’s emergency response or veterans’ support, these services keep our country strong. Cutting public services weakens our communities, puts lives at risk, and delays the help people need. We will invest in our public services to ensure they remain strong for people in Canada."
🚩 Red flags to watch for:
“We need to shrink the size of government.”
"Tax cuts are more important than public services.”
“People should rely on themselves, not the government.”
"We’ll review services and make ‘necessary adjustments."
Looking for a more specific question to ask? We’ve made a list of questions you can ask candidates on the public services you rely on.
✅ Good answers:
"Border security is essential to keeping our country safe. Our border officers stop illegal goods and protect our communities. Weakening our public service means weaker security. We need to invest in well-trained border officers and modern technology so they have the tools they need to keep our borders secure."
🚩 Red flags to watch for:
“Automation and AI can replace workers.”
“We don’t need more staff, just better management.”
“Security doesn’t require more funding.”
✅ Good answers:
“Reconciliation requires action, not just words. We must continue to invest in programs that uphold Indigenous rights and ensure communities have the resources they need to thrive. We commit to providing more resources that would allow for more public service workers to provide clean drinking water and more healthcare workers in Indigenous communities.”
🚩 Red flags to watch for:
"We already have the Truth & Reconciliation Commission.”
“Private partnerships can handle this more efficiently.”
✅ Good answers:
“Health care must remain public and accessible to everyone, not just those who can afford it. Public health care is a core Canadian value, and privatization would only increase wait times and create a two-tier system.”
🚩 Red flags to watch for:
“We need private options to relieve the burden.”
“Canadians deserve to have autonomy in their healthcare decisions, private insurance companies offer this.”
✅ Good answers:
"Public service workers spend many years delivering essential programs, and they deserve dignity and security in retirement that they paid into over these years. Frontline public safety workers work dangerous and stressful jobs, we support 25-and-out and equitable pension reform for all of these public safety workers."
🚩 Red flags to watch for:
“Public pensions are too generous.”
“We need to modernize retirement savings.”
“The government has the right to use the surplus from the federal public service pension as they see fit.”
✅ Good answers:
“Affordable childcare Canada changes lives for families across Canada. We must invest in universal, affordable, and high-quality childcare, including the construction of publicly owned facilities.”
🚩 Red flags to watch for:
“Tax credits are the best way to support parents.”
“Childcare isn’t a federal issue.”
“The government shouldn’t be responsible for creating affordable childcare”
✅ Good answers:
“Investing in public post-secondary institutions supports innovation, skills, and opportunity. Cuts to education hurt students, researchers, and our economy. We must increase funding to make tuition more affordable, improve access, and support research that benefits all Canadians."
🚩 Red flags to watch for:
“Post-secondary is a provincial issue.”
“Students should be responsible for their own debt.”
“Universities need to attract private funding.”
✅ Good answers:
“Housing is a human right. Initiatives like a national rent control program and banning fixed-term leases and renovictions will help keep people in their homes. Addressing homelessness and poverty is crucial to ensuring the security and dignity of everyone who lives in Canada. Building more affordable housing units in partnership with municipal and provincial governments, especially in urban areas, is crucial.”
🚩 Red flags to watch for:
“Rent control doesn’t work.”
“Housing is a municipal/provincial issue.”
Authorized by Public Service Alliance Canada, 233 Gilmour Street, Ottawa, Ontario, K2P 0P1, 1-613-560-4200