Ottawa committed to keeping Phoenix payroll centre in Miramichi, says MP

The federal government is committed to keeping the beleagueredpayroll centre in Miramichi, N.B.,according to the local member of Parliament.

"Absolutely,"Miramichi-Grand Lake MP Pat Finnigantold CBC News, following a visit from Prime Minister Justin Trudeau on Wednesday.

"It never even came up because, you know, this would not work better anywhere else," said Finnigan.

"I mean the hard-working people ofMiramichi, they're the experts and they're going to solve the issues that we've seen in the past."

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The officehas been at thecentre of the troubled Phoenix paysystem, which has a backlog of 237,000 complaints from federal public servants who have been overpaid, underpaid or not paid at all.

Public service employees are three times more likely to see delays receiving their payif it's processed through theMiramichicentre than at federal offices or institutions elsewhere in the country, Treasury Board documents obtained by Radio-Canada earlier this weekshowed.

The revelation came on the heels of a union leader's suggestion the centre should never have been putin the small New Brunswick city.

"I think it's clear it was a mistake to move it to Miramichi," said GregMcGillis, executive vice-president of the Public Service Alliance of Canada (PSAC), prompting the mayor to demand a retraction and apology.

'People are really excited'

Trudeau met with the Miramichi centre's employees behind closed doors on Wednesday afternoon,along with new Public Services Minister CarlaQualtrough and Parliamentary Secretary of the Minister of Public Services and Procurement Steven MacKinnon.

Trudeaudid not speak to reporters following the meeting, but Finnigansaid itwas "excellent" and"people are really excited."

"The commitment that it shows, you know, that the prime ministercomes here [to]Miramichi this is where we're going to do it, this is where we're going tosolve the problem, so it was a great day."

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Finnigan said the employees were smiling and feeling positive after the meeting with Trudeau and that many of them had their photograph taken with the prime minister.

"We're going to get it done, I have no doubt in my mind," he said.

Ottawa is now offering financial incentives to attract qualified employees to address the Phoenix program.

The Treasury Board made the announcement on Tuesday by news release, saying it will offer one-time payments of $4,000, temporarily increase overtime rates from time and a half to double-timeand temporarily drop restrictions on the amount of vacation that compensation advisers can carry over.

"The resources are there, we've committed the resources and we'll do what it takes," said Finnigan.