Finance committee  Mr. Baker will take some of it, but let me comment generally, because to be honest, I was a little surprised at the statement. On the one hand, the expert accountants are saying the Income Tax Act is very complicated, and there's a lot of room for interpretation. On the other hand, all the agents of the Canada Revenue Agency are expected to have a perfect mastery of the Income Tax Act.

Finance committee  We did. I know they've all been contacted now. I don't know if we have arrangements with all of them--we could provide that to the committee--but they've all been contacted.

Finance committee  Some have indicated that they wanted to do it on their own.

Finance committee  Mr. Chairman, if my opening remarks were brief, it was out of respect for the committee, I wanted to leave more time for discussion. Let me refer the honourable member to the 80-page document we tabled before the committee and where we describe the results we have achieved over the past five years.

Finance committee  I think that generally speaking we're always for improved information In the particular case of the CFIB, we sat down with them and worked on a document, which they distributed to all their members across the country. It outlined the changes in the various responsibilities that were coming out of those particular budget measures.

Finance committee  No, I don't have a different comment on that, other than to say the budget measures are highly publicized around the country when the budget comes out, and this particular one was more than highly publicized across the country. On our website and through our phone lines, the implications of the measures are very well explained, and third parties have taken steps with us to inform people.

Finance committee  The question is relatively specific. I will ask the assistant commissioner for human resources, Madame Gauvin, if she wants to address this one in particular.

Finance committee  No. Our suggestion is that no amendment be made at this time, but that a further review be done four years from now.

Finance committee  It's the same. The position of the board is the same.

Finance committee  Staffing in the act was recognized and preserved as a management right, as it is in the public service generally. This is not something that is at the negotiating table. For the time being, it has led us to the implementation of a very different staffing system. That has its problems, but it is also at the forefront of staffing systems in public sectors.

Finance committee  I don't think the unions are saying that they've pushed it as far as possible. They've been working with us and the agency committee on competency-based staffing systems, which will table a report this summer. Management and the unions are anxiously expecting that report, and hopefully it will have recommendations for improving the process that will satisfy both sides.

Finance committee  I certainly hope it is not. I'm not aware that the audits are actually taking longer or--

Finance committee  I will ask Mr. Baker to comment on that.

Finance committee  The member made reference to the balancing act that we constantly do. If we reduce auditing to increase collection, we'll reduce the assessment number. We may be able to collect more money; we always have to balance a finite number of dollars that we have available. The AG raised some issues with collecting.

Finance committee  Unless my colleagues prove me wrong, I don't think we have that breakdown, for one very simple reason. We have to be careful of those aggregate numbers because we administer benefits as well. We administer various tax programs for provinces and for the federal government. We collect for various institutions.