I apologize, Ms. Dawson. Allow me to interrupt. I am simply looking for some clarification.
Your mandate is set out in the act, which is entitled the Conflict of Interest Act, as well as in the related regulations. The Conflict of Interest Act is something you are very knowledgeable about because it circumscribes your mandate. It does not contain any reference to ethics. The legislation basically sets out the requirement for members of Parliament, ministers and public office holders to submit reports on their assets and holdings and to update their declarations. Beyond the gifts that they receive and those kinds of things, you can only impose penalties to sanction a failure to disclose controlled assets. Your powers therefore are quite limited.
To Canadians, you are the ethics commissioner, but the Conflict of Interest Act, which is the enabling legislation that sets out your mandate, limits your ability to deal with the current situation. I would not call this a crisis, but all Canadians share the concerns that have been raised.