Liberals add $142 million in spending to solve Phoenix pay problems
OTTAWA — The federal government is pouring more money into the bug-addled Phoenix payroll system in hopes of getting closer to solving the ongoing boondoggle — and it’s blaming the previous Conservative government for the extra cost.
The Liberals will spend $142 million over two years to hire 200 temporary workers on top of the 300 hired to date to deal with the problems wrought by Phoenix, which left tens of thousands of public servants underpaid, overpaid or not paid at all.
The money will address capacity issues that Steven MacKinnon, the parliamentary secretary to Public Services Minister Judy Foote, said are at the root of why Phoenix has yet to live up to expectations.
It will help officials deal with an expected increase in payments linked to new collective agreements coming into force and the hiring of summer students, MacKinnon told a news conference Wednesday.