A fourth wave of job loss notifications washed over the federal public service Wednesday as the Conservatives appeared to be trying to shore up support for the cuts.
Union leaders reported that just over 5,000 employees in more than 13 departments were told they could lose their jobs as the government seeks to slash spending.
The job loss notices were juxtaposed with a series of Conservative government press releases highlighting both spending and saving initiatives.
Unions have long accused the government of being too secretive about the cuts and their concerns were bolstered last week by another battle in the continuing war between the parliamentary budget officer and the Tories.
Kevin Page published a legal opinion stating that 64 federal departments and agencies are breaking the law by withholding basic information on the 2012 budget from him, prompting the government to accuse him of over stepping his mandate.
As the standoff between those two sides continues, unions continued to press for transparency.
“This government is misleading Canadians when it says these cuts won’t impact services we all rely on,” said Robyn Benson, president of the Public Service Alliance of Canada, in a statement.