Ottawa, ON – Stephanie Kusie, Conservative Shadow Minister for Treasury Board, released the following statement:

“The PBO has released a new report that shows the government continues to give massive contracts for consulting to Liberal elites and friends of Justin Trudeau.

“In 2015, Justin Trudeau promised to reduce spending on consultants. Despite this, as well as a promise to freeze $350 million in professional services, massive growth in the public service, and a $670,000 contract to outside consultants for a report telling them how to cut down on outside consultants, the Liberal Government is poised to spend more than twice as much on consultant services next year than the Harper government did in 2014-2015.

“Even though the Liberals promised to reign it in just this year, the PBO estimates the government will spend $3 billion more next year than this year on consultant services. While only getting $2.2 million over 9 years under the Harper government, McKinsey received $120 million from the Trudeau government in just 8 years, including $32.5 million in 2021-22 alone.

“This rise in government consulting also leads to the style of corruption we are currently seeing exposed with GCStrategies, where outside ‘ghost contractors’ are receiving millions of dollars from the taxpayer despite doing no work.

“Common sense Conservatives will respect taxpayers, end big contracts to Liberal friends and insiders, and end the type of corruption that benefits companies like GCStrategies.”