“The Government of Alberta has been abundantly clear that spending restraint, change and innovation is necessary to ensure the long-term sustainability of the high quality services Albertans rely on.

“In order to be transparent and respect the collective bargaining process, unions were notified of potential workforce restructuring to ensure taxpayer dollars bring greater value to Albertans and the communities we serve.

“The MacKinnon report clearly showed, the status quo is not a sustainable option. Despite spending far more per capita on services than other large provinces, our outcomes are no better and often worse.

“We were also clear about the need for an ongoing review of government programs to ensure they are efficient and effective, and that this could result in changes to the public service.

“This means that some difficult but necessary decisions are required to ensure available funding is directed to the front-line services Albertans need most. These could include changes to staffing levels, aligning resources to areas where need is greater, as well as finding alternative ways to deliver services that would keep jobs in the Alberta economy.

“We have the highest respect and admiration for all public sector workers. These potential changes do not change the value we place on their dedication to Albertans.”