“As a citizen who is a public service worker, you have the right, protected by the Canadian Charter, to engage in political activity outside of work, including but not limited to:
- Wearing a party or candidate button in public
- Placing an election sign on your property
- Working as a canvasser for a political party or candidate
- Taking part in election-day activities on behalf of a party or candidate
- Soliciting funds from the public for political campaigns and parties
- Writing ‘letters to the editor’ endorsing a candidate or party
- Expressing support for a party or candidate on a social media platform
Of course, the public service must remain professional and impartial, so you shouldn’t engage in the above activities while at work (or on employer systems) or while identifying yourself as a government worker. And if you hold a high profile position (e.g., you deal with the media or represent the government in high-visibility situations), you may need to restrict your activities further. But for the vast majority of government workers, these rights are there to be used.
Read more about your political rights » http://psac-ncr.com/political-rights-public-service-workers“
Excerpted from “Monthly Newsletter from Larry Rousseau, PSAC’s NCR Regional Vice President”