Information & Ethics committee  You are trying to put me in a very complicated position. I am not supposed to.... The advice is confidential. There's a flight that took place. I can only assume.... Let's not pussyfoot around here. Yes, I can tell you that advice was sought before he went on his trip and advice was given.

Information & Ethics committee  First of all, you're making up certain stipulations here. You say $160,000. I don't know where that figure comes from, or what it's based on or anything, but to be more to the point, I don't have opinions. I deal with requests. I deal with requests of judgment. People come to me and I tell them whether they comply with the existing law or not.

Information & Ethics committee  At present, we have eight open cases, which involve 11 people.

Information & Ethics committee  I have to be careful when I say “cases”. It means that something has been referred to me to look at. It doesn't necessarily mean it will result in an investigation or something like that. That's eight cases where people have brought things to our attention, which we're looking at.

Information & Ethics committee  Good afternoon, Mr. Chair and members of the committee. Thank you for having me today. Let me begin by acknowledging that our meeting space is on the traditional territory of the Anishinabe Algonquin people. I feel privileged to have been asked by the Governor in Council to take on this role on an interim basis while a new ethics commissioner is being sought.