Luc Gagnon Will Work Remotely

In May, the government revised its remote work policy, mandating that public servants must work in the office for at least three days a week by mid-September, with executives required to be on-site four days a week. The policy aims to bring consistency across the public service, eliminating previous exemptions for roles like call-center and IT positions. The transition to this policy will be phased, with full implementation expected by 2025.

Despite these mandates, Gagnon’s role as CTO will include a remote work component. He will be based in Montreal but is expected to visit the Ottawa office as needed. This exception highlights a perceived double standard, as many public servants have struggled to secure remote work arrangements due to the new policies. Nathan Prier, president of the Canadian Association of Professional Employees, criticized this inconsistency, arguing that the government’s stance on remote work appears to favor executives over other employees.

Gagnon, with over 30 years of experience in technology roles across Canada and internationally, brings significant expertise to his new position. His background includes serving as the first CTO at Shared Services Canada and holding leadership roles in both the public and private sectors. In a statement, Gagnon expressed his honor at being selected and indicated that his priorities will be set in consultation with the Treasury Board Secretariat.

This development underscores a broader debate about remote work in government, reflecting ongoing tensions between evolving work practices and established office norms.

Read more at Ottawa Citizen