Information & Ethics committee  I've expressed the view in the past that maybe the issue of penalties should be looked at. There is an absence of direct penalties in relation to the act that should be looked at. In terms of the credibility of the system, it would help if there was a possible sanction recommen

Information & Ethics committee  One thing I haven't said is that it would be hard to create such a list, because there are a myriad of possible scenarios. It's always dangerous to try to put in an exhaustive list of situations. That's why I think we need the flexible approach. In terms of what I did with Mr. S

Information & Ethics committee  It's purely speculative, so it's impossible to answer your question. Of course it could. Maybe it couldn't. I don't know.

Information & Ethics committee  I don't think that's necessary. It's possible to manage each situation under the current legal framework. Recourse to the federal court of appeal or the federal court is always an option.

Information & Ethics committee  So it's sufficient to respond to emerging needs. This was the first time such a collision has occurred since the Office of the Conflict of Interest and Ethics Commisioner was created 18 years ago.

Information & Ethics committee  Exactly.

Information & Ethics committee  Actually, Ms. Dawson wrote the “Trudeau I Report”.

Information & Ethics committee  I think that I spoke about this at my last appearance when I was still commissioner. I hoped that some members of the government would take the issue more seriously. Some take it very seriously, but others take it a little less seriously.

Information & Ethics committee  That was my conclusion last year. Things may have changed for the better since then, but I don't know. Perhaps Mr. von Finckenstein—

Information & Ethics committee  Not many. We had the tools, and I was able to launch an investigation very quickly after the allegations emerged. There's not much that needs to be changed, nothing I can think of at this point in time that relates to the conduct of the investigation. I think it works well the w

Information & Ethics committee  When the people are interviewed—that's how we refer to them, as interviews—they are under oath. They are placed under oath. There is a stenographer present. There is a transcript. It's a pretty solemn event. People take it seriously and answer the questions. We use the transcript

Information & Ethics committee  I do understand the question. I've never actually asked myself the question, so I therefore cannot offer an improvised answer. Section 9 was the subject of parliamentary debate. It was part of the Accountability Act. I assume the drafters of the act knew what they were doing. M

Information & Ethics committee  There are reports from the office going back several years that deal with that. It's only when you go outside of accepted avenues that it becomes improper.

Information & Ethics committee  I'll add, Mr. Chair, that in the document we do indicate that the Prime Minister or one of his assistants, Monsieur Bouchard, mentioned that there would be an election one day and that it's important to win an election, and this matter could have an impact on Mr. Trudeau's electa

Information & Ethics committee  Yes. The central issue of the Shawcross doctrine, of course, was related to her role as Attorney General. It played a very important role.