When the federal government speaks of ‘workforce adjustments,’ it seldom grabs front-page headlines—but behind the jargon lies a quiet contraction of Canada’s public service. These adjustments range from early retirements and internal reassignments to outright position eliminations. While billed as tools for managing “efficiency,” the human and institutional cost of these policies is rarely visible to the public, even as public demand for services—from immigration to veterans’ affairs—continues to climb.