Unions hope for change as Anita Anand takes over Treasury Board

Several federal public service unions are expressing hope at the appointment of new Treasury Board PresidentAnita Anand in the prime minister's latest cabinet shuffle.

Anand's predecessor at Treasury Board was OttawaVanier MP Mona Fortier, who led the secretariat duringa strike of about 155,000 Public Service Alliance of Canada (PSAC) workersin April, and who lost her cabinet seat in this week'sshuffle.

The unions had beencritical of Fortier during the negotiations, whicheventually led to the signing of new collective agreements in May.

In a news release issued Wednesday, PSACnational presidentChris Aylward said the union isreaching out to Anand and other new ministers to "establish open communication and clear constructive dialogue going forward."

Several PSAC bargaining units are still at the table or will be soon, according to the release. And PSAC will bring ongoing Black and Indigenous class-action lawsuits to Anand's attention, as well asstalled pension changes for firefighters and border officers.

Another federal public service union, the Professional Institute of the Public Service of Canada (PIPSC), said it's "looking forward to a more collaborative approach from the employer."

PIPSC's priorities include reviewingreturn-to-office orders, pay, reducing outsourcing in governmentand more.

Part of an economic team

After Anand'sfirst briefing in her new role on Thursday, the Oakville MPtold CBC'sPower & Politicsthat the government is refocusing on spending coming out of the pandemic.

It wantsto deliverthe Liberal agenda prudently, efficiently and wisely, with respect for taxpayer dollars, shesaid.

To meet that goal, Anand will be working closely with an economic team including Finance Minister ChrystiaFreeland (who retained her portfolio in the shuffle), Public Services and Procurement Minister Jean-Yves Duclos (formerly health minister),Minister of Innovation, Science and Industry Franois-Philippe Champagne (who also retained his portfolio), and Minister of Employment, Workforce Development and Official Languages Randy Boissonnault(formerly tourism minister).

A government source suggested to CBC on Wednesday that there is a plan to deploy Anand and Duclosas key economic ministers.

That same source said the shuffle's primary aimwas to put the government's strongest performers on files that needattention particularly economic files.

Brings corporate governance experience

Asked whether she felt her latest assignment was a demotion afterhandling national defence since 2021 (the defence file hasbeen taken over by Bill Blair), Anand said she brings a lot of economic policy and corporate governance experience to the Treasury Board table, and that the prime ministerasked her to take on a "very large role."

"There is not one policy of our government that doesn't go through Treasury Board. I will be seeing everything from a policy perspective," Anandsaid on Thursday.

"And yes, I'm going to have to speak to my colleagues about the need for prudent spending, and I'm looking forward to those conversations as well."

She also mentioned a bill to reduce regulatory red tape for businesses, as well as ongoing work on digitizing government.