Thanks, Dr. Hutchings.
I obviously want to hone in on the last couple of paragraphs of your testimony. I want to make sure Canadians understand this very clearly. COSEWIC is expected to be and is statutorily created to be completely at arm's length and independent from any government. Appointments are made by the Governor in Council, the Minister of the Environment, and the appointments are to be made on the basis of, presumably, scientific expertise, detailed knowledge, to be able to perform a really important function, which is to decide—yes or no—whether a species ought to be classified as one at risk.
Now you're telling us, as the chair of COSEWIC, according to what I understand in plain English in your testimony, which I have written down here, that effectively the previous minister, Mr. Baird.... Are you intimating or are you saying clearly that he basically politically interfered?