Public Accounts committee  Obviously we agree with that, because we wouldn't have qualified the process as not being fair and equitable. I think the representatives of Public Works are trying to say the consequence didn't affect the technical component of the bid, which was 75%. But one can presume, and it's only a hypothesis, that it would have affected the financial aspect, which again could have affected the ratings for the two bids.

Public Accounts committee  Mr. Chair, I'd like to add a point of clarification. When we did our audit, we learned that there are terminals, in fact, in each one of the departments on which the departments can receive all of the exact information on the number of moves and the number of people who have required these services.

Public Accounts committee  I would like to point out that when we conducted our audit we asked for documentation on the rationale for the criteria, which I believe is what Mr. Laforest is asking for. We were unable to receive it, so if it does exist I would certainly like the department to furnish it to us.

Public Accounts committee  I hope we do continue to see each other regularly.

Public Accounts committee  Mr. Chairman, I cannot really answer that question. I believe that it is up to the government to decide, on the basis of our findings, what measures it wants to take.

Public Accounts committee  I would advise them to do a careful assessment of the possible consequences of this mistake, to determine, if necessary, whether the end result could be changed and, keeping in mind the need for justice and fairness, to take the steps they deem necessary.

Public Accounts committee  Thank you, Mr. Chair. We thank you for this opportunity to present the results of chapter 5 of our November 2006 report. It's entitled “Relocating Members of the Canadian Forces, RCMP, and Federal Public Service”. I am accompanied today by Ronnie Campbell, Assistant Auditor General, and Bruce Sloan, senior principal, who were responsible for this audit.

Public Accounts committee  Mr. Chair, I really can't respond to that. I'm just being made aware of this request and of the letter Mr. Wrzesnewskyj got. I think it would be inappropriate for me to try to explain why Mr. Zaccardelli would have responded in the way he did. I think it's really up to him to do that.

Public Accounts committee  I'd just like to thank the committee for the interest in the report, and we look forward to hearings on various issues in the future.

Public Accounts committee  Yes.

Public Accounts committee  Perhaps I could ask for clarification. I believe that is just for classified information, for secret....

Public Accounts committee  No, they were not. The only contact we've had with the RCMP has been to review with them our procedures over the physical security of documents. It would really be up to government to determine if they were to call in the RCMP or not.

Public Accounts committee  Parliament can certainly do as Parliament wishes. At the time of the leak in May, though, our legal counsel looked at it and didn't believe it would have been of a criminal nature. Now you seem to have a different opinion, and we can go back and look at it. But I would be surprised that leaking an Auditor General's report could lead to criminal charges.

Public Accounts committee  These chart concerns were raised by the program managers. We did not do an assessment as to whether the level of activity was sufficient or not, because the level of activity is not determined and not established. What we're saying is in order for Health Canada to show that they are meeting their responsibilities under the regulations, they need to establish targets of levels of activity and they need to monitor if those are in fact being met.

Public Accounts committee  I think that length of time is not unreasonable. They are trying to introduce a new operational planning system for the year 2007-08, which begins in three or four months. In order to establish all of those targets and performance measures, it does take a certain amount of time.