Finance committee  A core part of our mandate is to make sure that people understand the law. It isn't just with respect to the amount of tax they pay. We administer many benefit programs, such as the child care benefit, the child tax benefit, and all of the credits, and we want to make sure people are aware of those as well so they can benefit.

Finance committee  Obviously the proposal was developed in the context of the strategic review, which is a budget-setting exercise, which naturally has to occur with a degree of confidence around it. Certainly industry concerns would have been a consideration in making the ultimate decision.

Finance committee  As part of due process in developing a budget proposal, budget secrecy would have applied in that particular case. I can tell you that since the announcement, some companies have expressed interest. As you mentioned earlier, there were several involved. For some this was such a small part of their business that they kind of accepted it at face value.

Finance committee  In a typical year, as CRA, we would identify some needs for communication to the public, and we would be in a position to put forward some proposals. At the same time the government would want to make sure that certain of its policy initiatives were advertised. As you alluded to, that whole process is managed by the Privy Council Office to ultimately determine what to advertise and for which amounts.

Finance committee  Basically, it's using the tools we've always had for income tax, GST, and other debts and applying them to student loans. We have a fairly, I think, sophisticated collections machinery, as you can imagine. I believe what we have in place is more than sufficient to address that.

Finance committee  I don't know if we have a number with us.... No, we don't. Obviously, for us to arrive at the figure, we would work very closely with the Department of Finance, and there'd be some operating assumptions that would go into this. But again, the figures are a little soft; it's a brand-new tax measure.

Finance committee  There would have been a certain assumption that allowed us to construct an estimate of administrative costs.

Finance committee  We'd be pleased to do that.

Finance committee  Once again, sir, this will be a consideration of the Department of Finance in setting tax policy going forward. That question would best be directed to them.

Finance committee  Canada Revenue Agency is responsible for administering the tax policy that is set by the government, and ultimately Parliament, both federally and provincially. We take the policy as it's defined and administer it to the best of our abilities.

Finance committee  In terms of the information that went into the determination of the $19.5 million, that we may be able to provide to the committee, but I'll have to verify what the operating assumptions were.

Finance committee  That's correct.

Finance committee  I'll have to verify, sir, the exact number of agencies. There were certainly several agencies involved, yes.

Finance committee  The use of private collection agencies goes back to the time when HRSDC administered...well, they still do have overall policy responsibility for the student loan program. What has been transferred to us is the collection responsibility. When it was originally transferred we adopted the operating practice of HRSDC, which was a combination of our own collection activities plus the use of private collection agencies.

Finance committee  Go ahead.