PSAC members striking in Ottawa this week were fined thousands of dollars by Ottawa bylaw officers after cooking hotdogs in front of the Prime Minister’s Office.
City of Ottawa bylaw officers issued $4,305 in fines to striking Public Service Alliance of Canada (PSAC) members in Ottawa on Wednesday and Thursday for bylaw infractions, the city told Global News on Friday.
Global News captured PSAC members on Thursday grilling hotdogs in a tent set up on the sidewalk outside the Prime Minister’s Office for members striking on Parliament Hill.
One member displayed three tickets to reporters.
The City of Ottawa told Global News that on Wednesday, bylaw officers received a complaint about a tent and table set up on the sidewalk, saying local bylaws prohibit individuals from blocking any road, sidewalk or right-of-way to ensure safe passage.
The officers requested the tent and table be removed. When they returned later, the tent table were still in place. The officers issued $1,230 in fines.
Officers issued $1,845 in fines on Thursday when the tent and table had been set up once again. The city dished out $1,230 in fines that same day for “similar enforcement action” at Tunney’s Pasture, a federal worksite located about 15 minutes west of Parliament Hill.
“The City respects an individual’s right to take part in a demonstration, but we ask that it be done in a respectful manner that does not block a sidewalk causing accessibility and safety concerns for others who would use the path,” said Roger Chapman, director of bylaw and regulatory services at the City of Ottawa.
“All enforcement action occurred as consequence of individuals not following direction from officers to remove tents, tables and/or chairs from the sidewalk and continuing to pose an accessibility and safety risk to the public.”
PSAC’s strike entered its 10th day Friday with disruptions to federal services continuing. This week, PSAC members were told to strike outside “strategic” government locations, which included Pearson International Airport and the Port of Montreal.
The federal government tabled a new offer to the union on Friday. Specific details were not immediately available.
The strike has resulted in delays to several federal services.
Immigration Minister Sean Fraser said Thursday that in the past week, about 70,000 immigration files that should have been processed were instead put on hold due to the strike.
The minister said his department had planned to announce last week that it had returned to certain service standards achieved before the COVID-19 pandemic took hold in 2020, but the standards dropped as the strike started.
Canada Revenue Agency, meanwhile, is experiencing massive slowdowns at the height of tax season and Monday’s looming deadline for filing. The CRA has said it does not plan to extend the deadline.
The Union of Taxation Employees (PSAC-UTE), a subdivision of PSAC, is separately negotiating a contract for more than 35,000 striking Canada Revenue Agency (CRA) workers. PSAC represents roughly 120,000 federal public servants.
PSAC-UTE and the CRA appear to remain far apart on talks.
Both sides say they are committed to reaching a deal at the bargaining table.
— with files from Global News’ Mackenzie Gray