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Unfortunately, in the current election context, misleading statements are being made about certain issues that matter to you and your families, including sick leave and pension entitlements

Senior Ottawa Conservative MP Pierre Poilievre, flanked by several Ottawa-area Conservative candidates, Thursday unveiled Harper’s letter to the public service and try to reassure bureaucrats that they have nothing to fear should the Conservatives win another mandate.

Harper, in his two-page letter, lauded the work of federal bureaucrats in Ottawa and elsewhere.

“Canadians are well-served by our world-class public service, and I have seen this first-hand as Prime Minister. During our time in Government, we have worked with you to ensure your efforts are focused on the things that matter most to Canadians, and to create a healthier workplace where good work is recognized, red tape is removed, and benefits meet real needs,” Harper says in the open letter.

“Unfortunately, in the current election context, misleading statements are being made about certain issues that matter to you and your families, including sick leave and pension entitlements.”

Open letter 2[1]

The Conservatives have come under fire from public service unions and opposition parties over their plan to reform sick leave for federal workers.

Sick leave is the main issue at the ongoing round of collective bargaining with federal unions, but negotiations have slowed since the start of the election campaign. Thirteen of the 17 federal unions recently filed a motion seeking an injunction to stop the federal government from invoking new powers it gave itself in omnibus budget Bill C-59 to unilaterally impose a new sick-leave agreement.