Thank you, Mr. Chairman.
I appreciate your being here today, Minister.
Something that's on the top of my mind in relation to the CBC--it's been touched on a little bit already--is certainly the CBC's accountability when it comes to the Access to Information Act. So I'm going to ask a little further about that.
Mr. Lacroix has been here a couple of times recently. On both occasions, our party has asked him about CBC's distaste for complying with access to information. The last time he was here was as recently as last week. Actually, it was this week, pardon me. On both occasions, he responded by saying that they are open and they are accountable and they respond to requests in a more timely manner than they ever have before. The problem I have with that is that I don't really think the facts necessarily support this spin he's throwing at the committee.
You mentioned also in your opening comments something to the effect that when ordinary Canadians pick up their newspapers and read stories about the CBC refusing to release documents, it gives the perception that there's something to hide.
You also mentioned in your opening comments that as a corporation that's funded by taxpayers, you believe, and I certainly agree with you, that Canadians should know and deserve to know where their money is going.
I just wonder if you could elaborate and speak a little further to this issue for us.