I have looked at some of your cuts. The way they are described seems rather intriguing. Here, it says: “Canada School of Public Service, reduction in non essential training of federal public servants“.
Does it mean that you provided non essential training in the past and that you will stop doing so? We should get more information on this aspect.
I only have five minutes. I am interested in one thing in particular. Let us look at the Treasury Board Secretariat. Between 2000 and 2005, the budget of Treasury Board has increased by some 26 percent.
What have you done since in order to reduce that spending? I believe one should preach by example, and this applies also to the Department of Finance. One should try to be the champion and try to show the rest of the public service what efficiencies can be gained internally.
The Canadian government and the public service exist in order to redistribute wealth. The shareholders are the Canadians, including Quebeckers. Before proceeding with cuts that will impact on the citizens, one should at least consider what could be done internally — in your own department — in order to reduce these 26 million dollars of increased spending over the last five years.