Phoenix payroll fiasco: Miramichi acting mayor welcomes national spotlight

Amidst the debacle of the Phoenix payroll system used by the federal government's Miramichi-basedPay Centre, the city's acting mayor says the national attention actually brings some relief.

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"It's certainly not new news to us. It's been something on the radar for a couple of months," says Adam Lordon, the deputy mayor and now acting mayor of Miramichi. "I think the government now is really addressing it."

Identify what the issues are and identify solutions, so the people here can go back to doing the job the way it's supposed to be done.- Adam Lordon, Miramichi's acting mayor

Last week, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau promised to fix the system, appointing Privy Council Clerk Michael Wernick to oversee the system's functioning and resolve all payment errors, and earlier this month, Public Services and Procurement Minister Judy Foote called on Auditor General Michael Ferguson to examine the planning and implementation of Phoenix.

The federal government also opened a temporary facility in Gatineauto help offload the files piling up on the desks of Miramichi workers.

"For the workers here on the ground who have been in the trenches, I think there's got to be a sense of relief," said Lordon.

"From our perspective here locally on the city council, we're just happy the issues are being looked into, identify what the issues are and identify solutions so the people here can go back to doing the job the way it's supposed to be done."

Impacting employees

Since February, Pay Centre employees in the city of 18,000 have been struggling to work with a new system. Intended to upgrade a slow and outdated payroll system for 300,000 public servants across Canada, it's left over 80,000 with incorrect paycheques,or no payat all.

The nearly 600 employees in Miramichi have been left to feel the consequences.

In fact, the Public Service Alliance of Canada estimated there are more than 50 cases of people on long-term leave at the Pay Centre, many believed to be stress-related.

I'm just hoping ...to get this straightened out and on track again.- Susan Butler, life-long Miramichi resident

However, in the midst of the mess, Lordon reminded people thecentre's employees also want a resolution.

"This situation is not in their control and they are not to blame for this situation," said Lordon. "At a human level we should be respectful."

An integral part of Miramichi's economy

The glitch that has caused so much dissatisfaction is also a frustration for Miramichiers.

Like many Atlantic Canadian cities and communities of its size, Miramichi's economy has been rocky in recent decades with the closuresof a Canadian Forces base, pulp and paper mills and the long-gun registry.

The Pay Centre was a welcome addition to the local economy when the Conservative government decided to establish it in Miramichi in 2010. The centre even came with an $85 million facility, still under construction.

"I'm just hoping, as we heard Trudeau say the other nightthat they hope to get this straightened out and on track again, because we have a beautiful facility that's going to be opening," said life-long Miramichi resident Susan Butler, director of the Miramichi Folksong Festival.

And she has no doubt theMiramichi will overcome.

"We've had many ups and downs, but Miramichiers are survivors and we'll continue to survive," she said.

Lordon is looking atthe long-term, too, once the problems are settled at the Pay Centre.

"We know this hiccup with the centre is temporary, and I think we all have an eye on the long term, that this is going to be a wonderful thing for our community for the next 20 to30 years," he said.

"It has certainly kick-started a revival and a resurgence in the community that we're really excited about."