Mr. Speaker, we have heard from small business people from across Canada that they are concerned about the extent and number of surveys they have been receiving.
We have asked Statistics Canada and it has agreed to work with small business people to choose the best time of year for them to complete survey information. Small business owners know how important it is, not just to the federal government but to provincial and local governments as well, that Statistics Canada has adequate information so it can provide a basis upon which policy decisions can be made.
StatsCan has moved in the last two years to reduce the burden it imposes on small business by over 15 per cent.