Thank you very much, Chairperson.
What we're talking about is a very complex issue. What I'm struck by in your opening remarks is the number of players involved and the number of levels and nuances, whether it's the Conflict of Interest Act, “Accountable Government”, the Public Servants Disclosure Protection Act, and then we have the Treasury Board guidelines as they pertain to senior employees or all public employees, the Lobbying Act, and two different commissioners.
At the end of the day we would all say we want there to be clear, ethical rules and we want there to be an avoidance of any conflict of interest. So I think part of this statutory review is to really try to get at the issues as to whether the system itself is not clear enough, or whether it's being enforced properly, or in fact if there really isn't any enforcement—and you've spoken to that a little bit today—so that if an action takes place there is really no consequence. Those are the questions we have to try to drive at.
I am curious that you've just said, in response to one of my colleague's questions, that you think there is a grey area between what pertains to a minister and what pertains to that person as a member of Parliament. When Ms. Dawson came on Monday she seemed to think there is a clear delineation.
I really think it opens up a lot of issues: is there clarity around what these guidelines or rules are in terms of the people administering them, and in terms of the people who have to live by them? Everything you've said today leads me to think that it isn't where it needs to be in terms of overall clarity, and that all kinds of stuff can go on, whether deliberately or not. That's what we have to focus on because at the end of the day it is about public accountability and being very clear on where we all stand on this.
Maybe you could address that, in terms of whether there is a need to look at some overall structure, and why you think there is a grey area where apparently Ms. Dawson doesn't have that opinion. That's definitely a different approach you're taking there.