February 19, 2026 • Volume 39, No. 20
PAGES 9 to 19
Next edition March 5
Orléans MP pushing for more flexibility in return-to-work directive By Fred Sherwin The Orléans Star
It’s been a good winter for making snowmen as this big guy on Trim Road in Navan can attest. But don’t worry, maple syrup season is just around the corner. FRED SHERWIN PHOTO
Orléans MP Marie-France Lalonde believes her government could be more flexible in how federal workers return to their offices. In its most recent directive, the Treasury Board announced that managers and other executives will be required to work onsite five days a week, while other federal employees will have to be in the office a minimum of four days a week as of July 6. Federal employees had been required to return to their offices three days a week since September 2024. Lalonde says she supports a hybrid model that allows federal employees to work closer to home through community-based solutions such as making use of the co-working and shared workplace space at Place Orléans. “I have heard directly from many local public servants about their concerns such as commuting times, family responsibilities, financial pressures, and the need for mean-
ingful flexibility. These are real issues affecting thousands of families in Orléans,” Lalonde write in her most recent column. “That is why I strongly support communitybased solutions such as the co-working space at Place Orléans. These hubs provide an opportunity for public servants to perform their essential work closer to home while maintaining the benefits of onsite collaboration. They represent a practical, balanced approach that respects both operational needs and the realities faced by workers.” The Treasury Board comes at a time when the morale in some departments of the federal civil service couldn’t be any lower. Over the past several weeks, thousands of federal employees have been given notice that their positions maybe eliminated by the end of the year, if not sooner. A government program and spending review is looking to eliminate about 40,000 public service jobs by 2029. CONTINUED ON PAGE 2
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