Public Accounts committee  No, there wasn't.

Public Accounts committee  I'm not aware of any meeting. I don't think there was a meeting that involved the Minister of Justice. My role in this was to assign this to a senior expert in crown commercial law, who took over and did the legal opinion.

Public Accounts committee  Mr. Chairman, does the question concern the $39 million in 2002-2003?

Public Accounts committee  I believe that each situation must be examined separately because there is a different explanation for each one. For 2002-2003, based on the information we have on this point, this contract caused major concerns, particularly regarding deadlines. There was a six-month deadline f

Public Accounts committee  I believe the legal opinion was provided somewhere around February 9 or 10.

Public Accounts committee  Mr. Chair, could I explain the context of my involvement in this?

Public Accounts committee  Yes, I was aware that a legal opinion had been requested.

Public Accounts committee  No, it was prepared by a senior lawyer with long expertise in crown contracting and commercial law.

Public Accounts committee  I don't believe he had an accounting designation.

Public Accounts committee  Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I am the Deputy Minister of Health. I've been the Deputy Minister of Health since December 2004. I'm here with Mr. Wayne Ganim, who is currently the chief financial officer in the Department of Citizenship and Immigration, but he was the chief financi