The rate of retirement we have is growing faster in the public sector than it is in the private sector, but the overall rate of departure—the number of people who leave—is actually lower in the federal public service than it is in any other area I was able to compare. I was looking for these numbers in anticipation of this kind of question.
When we look at an overall rate of departure of around 3.7%—this is retirements and departures for any other reason—a comparable number in the United States federal public service is around 5.5%, and the kinds of numbers you see in the private sector are 8% to 9%.
What we see in the federal public service is that people come in and stay for their careers. The increased rate we're seeing in these departures and retirements is relatively small compared with that in any other sector. It's just that it's bigger than what the federal public service is used to.