Public Accounts committee  Well, again, should the Auditor General be auditing the five-pin bowling association because it gets a grant from the government as well? I think the answer is no, but I agree with the principle that you should insist that there is an independent auditor, and there is because the

Public Accounts committee  No, I wouldn't have been worried if it was an accredited auditor and they respected the public sector audit board's rules and regulations. I think that's where you have to come back to. I had this curiosity—I will now disclose something I shouldn't—but the former governor of the

Public Accounts committee  I think it should be respecting the privacy of the audited person, personne morale, the corporation. You have to have confidence that either CRA is doing its job or not. I think it's doing its job. I have no information other than I have confidence that it does its job. Judging b

Public Accounts committee  A more traditional way is taking people out for coffee or dinner and giving them a refrigerator, a stove and maybe a car. Don't make me into a terrorist or spy, but I think there are more efficient ways of doing it. In response to Mr. Desjarlais, if I'd had the time, I would ha

Public Accounts committee  That's my point exactly, sir.

Public Accounts committee  I think it's about $2,000 or something like that.

Public Accounts committee  No, it's not unreasonable, but if I were going for it, I would go for the expatriate community. I would get a whole bunch of expats to pay $1,700 to put somebody in my pocket.

Public Accounts committee  I understand that. It makes a lot more sense.

Public Accounts committee  Look, I haven't studied this carefully enough to recommend policy options, but I think there are issues of finance and there are issues of the expatriate community. I agree it goes to Iran and other countries, like Russia. I would look at not just finance. I would look at all the

Public Accounts committee  Unfortunately, you only have jurisdiction in Canada, but that's pretty broad. It gives you the capacity to lean on people who would otherwise be engaging in activity, even abroad. You can't make that an offence—what they do abroad—but if what they do in Canada is offensive, you c

Public Accounts committee  I have three quick points. First of all, I thought you were talking about an inquiry into the general point about foreign influence of which the Pierre Elliott Trudeau Foundation would become a part.

Public Accounts committee  That's right. Frankly, on the allegations in terms of Mr. Han and Mr. Chong in Ontario and all of that, I think that's an interesting question. I would make it looking forward. I think it can be done. I would look at the Rouleau commission on the convoys as the third one that r

Public Accounts committee  All right. Well, I have the grey beard. The point is that Fadden did disclose that there were several provincial cabinet ministers who he thought, alleged, were the subject of foreign interference. This is not a new issue. I thought it was more recent. I was surprised to see tha

Public Accounts committee  I would make it about foreign interference.

Public Accounts committee  I said that, if I had $140,000, $200,000 or $1 million, I wouldn't spend it that way if I were trying to exercise influence. I think that's an inefficient way of doing it, and they're not stupid.