Ottawa's Parliament Hill is where Treasury Board President Ali says he gets the most done, as the federal government pushes ahead with tighter return-to-office rules for the public service. Ali gave the Ottawa Citizen his first interview since becoming a cabinet minister more than a year ago, despite several requests for one.
'Finds energy to do more' in the office
Asked whether he's more productive working from home or the office, Ali said he "finds energy to do more" while working from his offices on Parliament Hill and in his riding, rather than from home. He pointed to networking, working together, and building team collaboration as the critical rationale behind the government's in-office push. "It's network(ing), working together, it's building team collaboration, that was basically the critical part of it," he said.
What changed, and when
The latest round of return-to-office changes took effect in May 2026 for executives, who are now back in the office full-time, and in July 2026 for employees, who must now work in person four days a week. That builds on a 2024 increase, when the government first raised its in-office requirement to at least three days a week for employees and four days a week for executives.
No metrics behind the policy
In a response to NDP MP Heather McPherson, the Treasury Board acknowledged the policy changes were made with no specific metrics, assessments, or studies to back them up.
Not enough office space
The rollout has also run into a practical snag: the government currently has enough office space to accommodate only 90 per cent of its workers. As a result, some departments have had to delay implementing the new four-day requirement simply because there isn't room for everyone to show up.
The Ottawa angle
Ali's comments, delivered from the seat of the federal government, land directly in the city where the policy's effects are most concentrated.
What's next
The grievances filed by public service unions remain before the federal labour board, and departments still short on office space will need to find a way to fit four-days-a-week staff before their delayed timelines catch up.
Sources: Ottawa Citizen (via Yahoo News Canada)
