Federal outsourcing expenditures climbed to yet another all-time high this year, rising from an already record $20.8 billion last year to $23.1 billion this year. These figures come from the country's public accounts, the audited consolidated financial statements, and reflect Canada's spending on "professional and special services," a broad category that covers contracted work. Tabled in November, the data includes work outsourced to other government agencies and third parties.

One category continues to stand out: spending on professional services firms. 

On paper, there was a sharp decline in the spending category of "management consulting" (from $837.8 million last year to $318 million this year). However, the government's reliance on specific professional services firms to deliver core government services did not actually diminish. The labels simply changed.

For example, total federal spending on Deloitte alone reached $308 million last year and only........

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