I don't want to personalize staffing issues at ACOA. What I know is that, in the face of our government's commitment to spend taxpayers' dollars more efficiently and effectively, we want to eliminate the deficit because we think that the fiscal advantage of Canada must be preserved for the benefit of Canadians. In that context, what I insisted to our officials was that whatever reductions we would make to ACOA's budget, they would first be internal ones to gain efficiencies in how we deliver our programs. Unfortunately, as a result of our identifying those efficiencies, certain positions have become surplus, as will others. But the test to me is ensuring that the small and medium sized businesses, the communities of Atlantic Canada, will still get the same, or a better, level of service—
On May 8th, 2012. See this statement in context.