On March 12, PIPSC President Sean O’Reilly appeared before the Standing Committee on Government Operations and Estimates (OGGO) as part of its study of the federal government’s Comprehensive Expenditure Review (CER).
The hearing gave PIPSC an opportunity to bring members’ expertise and concerns directly to Parliament, including the risks CER-related cuts pose to scientific capacity, transportation safety, and other critical systems Canadians rely on every day.
“These are the experts who make sure the critical systems Canadians rely on every day actually work,” O’Reilly told MPs.
Food safety and rail oversight raised
During the hearing, O’Reilly highlighted reductions affecting scientists, veterinarians, and inspectors at the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA).
“Millions of Canadian families trust that the food they buy to feed their children is safe. When that trust is misplaced, the consequences can be severe,” O’Reilly warned. “Foodborne illness can spread before contamination is detected. Export markets can be shut down overnight when confidence in a country’s inspection system is shaken.”
He also raised concerns about reductions affecting rail safety oversight at Transport Canada, where engineers and technical specialists monitor infrastructure, equipment standards, and operating practices across one of the largest rail networks in the world.
“Rail safety depends on trained professionals who detect problems before accidents occur,” O’Reilly told the committee.
Outsourcing and service impacts questioned
MPs also pressed witnesses on whether reducing internal expertise while outsourcing more work could affect the quality and reliability of government services.
Federal spending on professional and special services has reached historic levels, with outsourcing now roughly double pre-pandemic levels.
O’Reilly warned MPs that reducing internal expertise while increasing reliance on consultants risks weakening the public service’s long-term capacity.
“When internal capacity is weakened, governments frequently turn to outsourcing to fill the gap,” he said. “Cuts that remove this expertise may look efficient on paper. But when expertise disappears, the risks and the costs return later.”
MPs raise concerns about expertise and preparedness
During the hearing, MPs questioned whether workforce reductions could weaken Canada’s scientific capacity and public services.
NDP MP Alexandre Boulerice asked whether cuts to scientific roles could leave Canada less prepared for future crises such as pandemics. Conservative MP Kelly Block raised concerns that reducing internal expertise while outsourcing more work could affect service standards across government programs.
Responding to questions from MPs, O’Reilly emphasized how difficult it is to rebuild lost expertise once experienced professionals leave the public service.
“When experienced professionals leave the public service, that expertise doesn’t just disappear from an org chart — it disappears from the system. Rebuilding that capacity takes years.”
Evidence submitted to the committee
As part of the study, PIPSC submitted a detailed brief outlining the risks CER-related workforce reductions pose to federal scientific capacity and other critical systems.
The submission documents how cuts are affecting areas including food safety, emergency preparedness, transportation safety, environmental protection, and public health oversight.
Parliamentary study continues
The OGGO committee will continue examining the Comprehensive Expenditure Review in the coming weeks as departments release more details about planned reductions.
O’Reilly closed his testimony with a warning about the long-term consequences of reducing internal expertise.
“Because when expertise disappears, problems don’t disappear,” he told the committee. “They just show up later — and they cost far more to fix.”