This is something that's of big concern to me and one of the real priorities I've brought to Treasury Board. We're not going to have perfect relationships with the public service unions, but we're working hard. There will be some 300 to 340 job losses as a result of this, but I'm very comfortable that we'll be able to work with each and every one of those individuals to find them other employment. More than 5,000 people leave the public service every year for retirement or to pursue other opportunities, and the reductions we made are in fact less than 5% of our annual turnover. It's an important message that I brought to our bargaining agents, that if there are concerns raised, we want to work with them. We've been able to establish, I think, five or six collective agreements, negotiated settlements, including one that had gone on for more than four years. So we're working hard for a constructive relationship with the public service at all levels, and it's based on respect.
On October 17th, 2006. See this statement in context.