Thank you very much to the witnesses for coming in today for a very fulsome discussion.
In a previous life, I was the registrar for the HR profession in Alberta. Access to information and ethical conduct of members were very important to us. I also wrote the code of ethics and the standards of professional conduct dealing with information like this, so I know that “category of employee” typically generates a lot more interest.
First, I have a question in regard to exempt staffers in ministers' offices. My question is for Ms. Empey and Mr. Surtees from National Defence.
For exempt staffers in a minister's office, for other emails, correspondence, and anything they might have communicated on with the department previous to their employment, anything between them and the department they're in, is that subject to an exemption? Or are they required to provide those emails and correspondence or documents?