Thank you for the questions, Mr. Chair.
If I could actually comment on the first suggestion, it is a helpful one. Then I will answer your question on FTEs.
I think the member has a very good point about program activity architecture. When we started with program activity architecture information, it was new. No matter what vote model we end up with, it's very clear that program information is more important now than it used to be. It's only fair that we give departments a chance to rethink their structures and get them adjusted, as they would need to be if we were to actually move to a voted structure by program, because programs clearly have taken on increasing importance over the years.
So we'll take that suggestion. Thank you.
The reason for the difference you have flagged in the FTE numbers.... I didn't see the methodology from the policy centre, but they looked at reductions over a broader period of time. Their period of time included strategic reviews, operating budget freeze, and some other measures to reduce spending. The 19,200 number that you hear from the government is directly related to Budget 2012: 19,200 is the number of positions that were to be eliminated as a result of the strategic and operating review of Budget 2012. The policy centre was looking at a bigger period of time.
I can tell you that in Budget 2013 the government provided an update on the 19,200. Initially they were forecasting that of the 19,200, roughly 12,000 would have to use workforce measures to be transitioned out, and they were hoping for 7,200 through attrition. The trend appears to be slipping. As of Budget 2013's December numbers, 16,220 of the positions have been eliminated—not quite the full 19,200, but certainly on track. Of those, 9,300 were through attrition and roughly 7,000 through workforce adjustment measures.
So the initial forecast is proving to have overestimated our reliance on workforce adjustment, and we have been able to make greater use of transition to achieve those reductions. But the 19,200 is directly related to SOR.