You already have your word to say, Madam Minister, since you appoint the executives of crown corporations. They are definitely the representatives of the federal government, who see to the proper management of the funds that you grant them. Is this not a type of vote of non-confidence in them? You are telling them that they are incapable of managing public funds properly and that you are going to bypass their authority during negotiations by imposing mandates, rejecting agreements in principle, and even by imposing working conditions directly on the non-unionized employees of crown corporations.
This is unprecedented. It is a complete departure from the existing labour relations framework. Your representatives are at the negotiating table. They are executives you appoint, members of the board of the crown corporations. It is strange, but each time we ask a question on the closure of a post office in a region or a village, you say that you have nothing to do with that because that is an arm's length corporation. However, when the time comes to negotiate pension funds, insurance or salaries, you decide to bypass the managers that you appointed yourself to these positions and to interfere. You are running the risk of jeopardizing collective bargaining. This is serious.