Mr. Speaker, we have been in discussion and negotiation with the unions for several months. Various propositions including the ones that the Public Service Alliance has now formalized in writing have been considered over that period of time.
Quite simply they are not a way of achieving our goal. In terms of being able to get our deficit down to 3 per cent and the downsizing that is required from that, we need to target the different positions based on the programs and services we would be reducing.
Their proposition would not work in that regard and that is why I was not able to accept it.