Under the last Liberal government, the government's operating costs grew by an average of nine per cent annually — exceeding revenue growth and thus leading to higher deficits and a bulging national debt. Carney's election platform promised to cap spending growth at two per cent per year through 2028-29. Under former prime minister Justin Trudeau, the federal public service underwent explosive growth. According to government data, the number of federal employees (including those working in "core public administration" and separate agencies) grew from 257,034 in 2015 to 357,965 this year — a 40 per cent increase. That's more than double the population growth rate over the same period, according to federal figures. https://www.cbc.ca/news/politics/ottawa-spending-cuts-1.7579022