Mr. Speaker, we learned from a press release issued by the Public Service Alliance of Canada that the federal government has considerably increased its spending in several departments by using the services of outside contractors. Between 1984 and 1992, contracting out increased by 207 per cent for National Health, 247 per cent for Supply and Services and a full 628 per cent for Customs and Excise Canada.
My question is for the President of the Treasury Board. How can the minister justify freezes and cuts in the public service, when contracting out has increased so phenomenally in recent years?