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Fixing the troubled Phoenix pay system is his top priority, says the chief of Canada’s public service.

The pay “challenges” that persist with the government’s payroll system are unacceptable, said Michael Wernick, the Clerk of the Privy Council, in his annual report to Prime Minister Justin Trudeau.

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Wernick said the government will continue to “work hard to make progress on the pay system and to ensure that our employees are paid accurately and on time,” but gave no assurances on when that will be accomplished.

Nearly 70 per cent of public servants say they have experienced problems with Phoenix, the automated pay system. They have been underpaid, overpaid or not paid at all. Unions say many public servants fear shifting positions, taking promotions or even retiring for fear their pay will be messed up.

Wernick said he was distressed by the “emotional and financial hardship” that Phoenix has caused public servants and their families. The problem should never have happened, but there are no quick fixes, he warned.