Government Operations committee  That's correct.

Government Operations committee  Madame Chair, I do believe that in my opening comments I outlined the objectives of the commission, the mandate of the commission as laid out in legislation. The question the honourable member is asking is a question that should be put to the government. Madame Chair, could I seek your leave to finish my previous answer?

Government Operations committee  Thank you, Madame Chair. As I answered, this was covered by Industry Canada, to which I was attached. I would like to indicate to the chair and to the committee that my involvement in the World Maritime University and the University of Victoria was approved by the Ethics Commissioner.

Government Operations committee  Madame Chair, I do not know what will happen in terms of the next executive director. I have been at the deputy minister level since December 1985, and for the last nearly nine years at deputy minister level two. Deputy ministers are appointed by the Governor in Council, and this position to which I was appointed was deemed to be a Governor in Council and order in council position.

Government Operations committee  Thank you, Ms. Thibault. Madam Chair, diversity and representativeness were key considerations in all of our discussions on the code of practice. Certain elements must be included because of the act, but, as you said, we must also take into account the representation of the regions, etc., of Canada.

Government Operations committee  Yes. The secretariat acted as the public service for the commission. As is the case with all of the commissions that depend upon their public servants to advise them, the objective was to have the secretariat define the options for the commission. It was not up to the secretariat to make the decisions.

Government Operations committee  Absolutely.

Government Operations committee  Madam Chair, the secretariat was created and continues to exist. As I said, as of next Monday, there will no longer be any members, but the secretariat still exists.

Government Operations committee  It was created—

Government Operations committee  Madam Chair, I have been gone now for a number of weeks, or even months, but I was told that there was a process underway to appoint an executive director for the secretariat. As is usually the case, this type of thing does take time. That is what I was told, but I can't say for sure.

Government Operations committee  The system was a relatively simple one, even though it always seems complicated when I explain it. The approach was multi-faceted, so I will try to provide a context. Some appointments to an advisory board are made by ministers, within their department, but that is not what we are talking about.

Government Operations committee  I believe so, but I am no longer working there. My opinion is based on what I hear from other people. I don't want to tell any tales, but after some discussions and round tables with various agencies and corporations, we realized that many of them had devised principles and selection processes that were then suggested to their minister.

Government Operations committee  I think in reality, Madame Chair, it would. The purpose of an exam, certainly in my experience, is to test certain competencies. One is either accepted, if one passes, or one fails. The extent to which those who do not meet the criteria move to the next level, I would have to say, increases the workload for that next level.

Government Operations committee  That is clearly a conclusion from the data. As I responded earlier, we are looking at the data here and simply interpreting what we see.

Government Operations committee  That was the objective of the study we undertook.