Mr. Speaker, local libraries across the country will suffer if the proposed privatization of the Canada Communication Group is put in place by the government. Libraries are concerned that the depository program operated by the Canada Communication Group may be in danger.
Relaying government information to the general public has always been a part of the public library's mandate. The partnership between government information services and the public library system has been successfully in place for over 100 years. It would be most unfortunate if communications between the government and the people of Canada should be endangered.
With the privatization of CCG, government documents will become expensive and difficult to obtain.
For the sake of providing information to Canadians, I ask the government to consider retaining the publishing function of CCG while giving up the responsibility for printing.