OTTAWA — The association representing professional interpreters is warning that Ottawa’s planned new procurement rules could convince many of them to shun work for the federal government.

The government is looking to make several major changes to the procurement of freelance interpretation services for Parliament and institutions like the Supreme Court.

The Canadian branch of the International Association of Conference Interpreters, AIIC-Canada, said those changes include eliminating a measure to protect interpreters’ hearing and adopting a “lowest bid” approach — replacing the “best fit” approach to procurement that considers applicants’ credentials and experience.

The government is also planning to start paying interpreters by the hour rather than by the day.

AIIC-Canada carried out

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