Young Workers and the Public Service Purge Artwork

The Missing Middle with Mike Moffatt and Sabrina Maddeaux

Welcome to the Missing Middle, a podcast about why the middle class in Canada is disappearing. We hope to help you understand why life is becoming unaffordable for so many in this country, and what can be done to reverse course.

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The Missing Middle with Mike Moffatt and Sabrina Maddeaux

Young Workers and the Public Service Purge

July 23, 2025 • Cara Stern, Mike Moffatt, and Meredith Martin

In this episode of The Missing Middle, Sabrina Maddeaux and Mike Moffatt break down the massive wave of federal public service job cuts and how they’re slamming young Canadians the hardest. From thousands of lost student and contract jobs to long-term impacts on housing, wages, and health, they reveal how a shrinking government workforce could shut an entire generation out of shaping Canada’s future. They also dive into what this means for unions, the economy, and why real public service reform must include young voices. If you care about youth employment and the future of Canada’s workforce, you don’t want to miss this!

Chapters

00:00 Introduction

01:00 Federal public service job cuts explained

02:54 Our Video

03:46 The cohort effect and some historical context

05:12 The lack of young public sector workers in shaping policy

07:15 Mike’s experience in the federal public service

09:26 The talent vacuum

10:30 The effects of graduating in a recession

12:26 Ripple effects in the broader economy

13:45 Graduating in a recession can impact your health

16:30 Job hoarding and the role of unions