Mr. Speaker, maybe I am wrong but if memory serves me right the office of the comptroller general was decimated under the Conservatives prior to our taking office, but I am not absolutely sure.
I want to talk a little more about some of the good things that we have been able to do. Not everything is doom and gloom.
The government has made a strong and clear commitment to improve effectiveness and provide better value for Canadians' tax dollars. I am pleased to say that we have made some significant progress in the quality of the services that we offer and I know we have to make more progress.
During the last decade, the Government of Canada has significantly increased its use of technology to improve services. For example, about 70% of our financial transactions, payments and transfers are now done through the electronic banking network that we have established with Canadian financial institutions. The Canada Revenue Agency has become one of the most automated and efficient tax agencies in the world.
I am proud to say that Canada has earned a well-deserved reputation as a global leader in e-government. The 2005 Accenture report on customer service for citizens ranked Canada first among 22 countries in e-government for the fifth consecutive year. Canada has once again been ranked number one because of our citizen centred vision to meet the growing expectations of our citizens and businesses.
The Government of Canada continues to provide high quality programs and services for Canadians. For example, all of our 130 most commonly used services are now online. We also recognize that Canadians look for access through traditional means. We are working to improve telephone and in person services. Service Canada is part of this effort.
Our permanent goal is to provide easy access to programs and services that are better suited to the changing needs of Canadians, whether they live in urban, rural or remote communities.
The government has made significant progress on a wide range of fronts. We will continue to focus on improving services, lowering costs and providing better services for people across the country.