Yes thanks, Mr.Chair. I'm splitting my time with Mr. Petit.
I thank you, Mr. Marleau, for being here.
I think today, with the report of the Auditor General, illustrates how effective independent officers can be, the value they bring to our work as parliamentarians, and some of the things that we as parliamentarians are unable to do. When we have these independent officers, they're certainly tasked with working in the best interests of Parliament and, in doing so, working in the best interests of all Canadians to get a job done. That's why I'm taking a great deal of interest in what you've said on maybe some value-added for the parliamentary budget officer.
I want to clarify one thing. There might be some confusion, but my understanding under Bill C-2 is that the parliamentary budget officer is indeed an officer of the Library of Parliament and is, therefore, probably physically and organizationally part of the Library of Parliament. So that may address some of my colleagues' concerns as to duplication or so on.
I know for a new member of Parliament there are so many things we have to do. The estimates are very daunting for a new member--and it's been mentioned here--when you see these numbers coming out. So I see the value to what you're saying on perhaps expanding the role of the parliamentary budget officer to look at estimates.
Can you comment a bit further on how that added role could be of assistance to us in our day-to-day work when it comes to analyzing what the government spends on behalf of Canadian taxpayers?