Mr. Speaker, after nine years of this Liberal government supported by the Bloc Québécois, we already knew that the size of the federal government had reached unprecedented proportions.
This week, however, we learned that the total number of federal public servants has increased by 42%, with more than 108,000 new employees added to the payroll. Costs have gone up 68% since 2016, with public service spending reaching an all-time high of $67.4 billion. That is huge.
According to data from the Treasury Board of Canada Secretariat, federal departments are struggling to meet 50% of their target every year. Furthermore, consultants' fees cost $21.6 billion during the 2023‑24 fiscal year. That is a new record for our country: more public servants, more consultants and fewer services to the public.
What a disgrace.