Prime Minister Mark Carney is set to spend more on the Privy Council Office than the previous Liberal government did under former prime minister Justin Trudeau, according to newly tabled federal records, despite pledges to rein in government waste.Blacklock's Reporter says a Departmental Plan tabled Friday in the House of Commons shows the Privy Council Office — the central agency that supports the prime minister and cabinet — is expected to spend $252,265,293 this year. That exceeds the $251,744,189 spent during Trudeau’s final full year in office.Carney said the spending plan reflects a push to modernize government operations while maintaining discipline on day-to-day spending.“By modernizing the systems we use, embracing innovation and holding the line on day to day operational spending, the Privy Council Office will help ensure public resources are focused where they have the greatest impact,” Carney wrote in the Departmental Plan.Among the changes cited was a plan to automate responses to correspondence sent to the prime minister by members of the public.The plan comes as Carney has repeatedly promised to cut waste and streamline government operations.“In a more dangerous and divided world Canadians need a government that acts with purpose,” Carney wrote, adding the spending plan “reflects the government’s commitment to building our strength at home.”.The Privy Council Office reported 1,333 employees last year. The new plan forecasts staffing will decline to 1,249 this year, though the document does not outline any specific layoffs. Instead it states officials will be “flattening the executive structure,” without further detail.Carney has warned Canadians that economic and fiscal changes will require sacrifices.Speaking to students at the University of Ottawa on Oct. 22, he said major reforms would take time and would not be painless.“We won’t play games, we won’t waste time and we won’t hold back,” Carney said. “We will do what it takes.”“I will always be straight about the challenges we have to face and the choices we must make,” he added. “To be clear, we won’t transform our economy easily or in a few months. It will take some sacrifices and it will take some time.”“Our government will work relentlessly to cut waste and drive efficiency,” said Carney. “When we have to make difficult choices, we will be thoughtful, we will be transparent, we will be fair.”In a separate speech to the Montreal Chamber of Commerce on Nov. 14, Carney pledged to reduce the federal workforce by 10%, saying Ottawa would save $60 billion by restructuring operations, consolidating services and scaling back programs.Meanwhile, executives within the Privy Council Office received significant bonuses last year. According to a Feb. 2 report titled Results Of The Performance Management Program For Executives 2024-2025, 129 of 135 executives received bonuses averaging $27,925 each.
