Re: “Federal pay system backlog surpasses 520,000,” Nov. 17.
The federal Phoenix pay system should perhaps follow its mythical source, burn itself out and re-emerge as an in-house pay system such as that suggested by civil-service unions.
It is unconscionable that this disastrous boondoggle, which might cost our country $1 billion to fix, has been allowed to founder for so long. There is a simple solution that would no doubt solve the IT problems in short order. All members of the federal government should immediately by paid through this system. Of course, they would be put at the bottom of the list, behind those who have been waiting for years. Phoenix would become top priority — you can bet on it.
Our public service and procurement minister has been “kept awake by stories of hardship.” Becoming one of the stories would move her from apologies to action, or keep her sleepless in Ottawa.
Dorothy Drubek
Courtenay
