Mr. Speaker, my question is for the Minister of Public Works. Recent media reports stated the government is planning to pull several thousand public servants out of downtown Ottawa and move them to outlying regions.
The timing could not be worse given the devastating toll of the recession. The downtown service sector is currently suffering from serious fiscal restraint. A job exodus, including the spin-off effect on service jobs, would create a virtual ghost town of our national capital. An abandoned downtown would also be damaging to the tourism industry. Canadians would find it kind of dull to visit Ottawa.
I want to ask the Minister of Public Works if he can confirm whether his department or any other department is presently proceeding with a study to relocate public servants from downtown Ottawa to the suburban areas.