Information & Ethics committee  I likely wouldn't be advising you under the title of Commissioner of Lobbying. I think it's the Office of the Conflict of Interest and Ethics Commissioner that would be advising. I would be advising the lobbyists.

Information & Ethics committee  I would be advising the lobbyists and, quite frankly, I'm not prepared to go into a.... If you obtained advice in those conversations, then I would be giving it to the lobbyist, as the Commissioner of Lobbying.

Information & Ethics committee  I will evaluate that if ever I am Commissioner of Lobbying. I'm sorry. I don't think I really should be getting into that.

Information & Ethics committee  Thank you. I appreciate it.

Information & Ethics committee  The monthly basis is already a requirement of the act. Right now, that needs to be the senior person but not necessarily the person who attended. To me, it sounds reasonable that you would want to know who was there, and that would certainly increase transparency, in my opinion, but that law hasn't changed yet.

Information & Ethics committee  That's a good question, where the line should be drawn.

Information & Ethics committee  From my years at the Office of the Conflict of Interest and Ethics Commissioner, gifts are probably the things that cause most public officer holders the most angst, including that office as well. It's not always easy to figure that out. On the lobbyist front, the rule right now is simply that lobbyists should not provide a gift that would put the public office holder in a situation where they feel like they owe....

Information & Ethics committee  Yes, absolutely. They are the ones making the act.

Information & Ethics committee  I have worked with both Mary Dawson and Suzanne Legault. I think they are very different agents of Parliament, and I have learned from both of them. They both have taught me a lot, and I respect them both.

Information & Ethics committee  Yes, absolutely.

Information & Ethics committee  I would argue that they're not government institutions.

Information & Ethics committee  The offices are clearly not government. It's just that the rules applying to employees are public servant rules. Yes, my role was similar. In both situations, I was general counsel. In the Information Commissioner's office just last August, I was appointed deputy commissioner as well as public affairs.

Information & Ethics committee  Yes.

Information & Ethics committee  It's always treating people with respect, being fair, listening. There are a lot of opinions. There's a lot of advice. You know, you have a fact situation, and everyone sees the situation differently. To leave your personal judgment aside and analyze it fairly, and always, always be aware, to me, that is important.

Information & Ethics committee  No, you can't get sucked in. You have to have the courage not to be sucked in. You have to remain neutral and impartial. You listen to the advice, but at the end of the day the buck stops with you, and then you have to make sure you make the right decision.