My insight into the ethics question comes mainly in relation to one of your prior witnesses, Duff Conacher, of Democracy Watch. I've interviewed Mr. Conacher a number of times and reported on some of his recommendations and opinions, so very clearly, and I'll be up front, most of my technical knowledge comes from another witness, Mr. Conacher.
However, where I add my own assessment and opinion to your question as to why I believe that the current system isn't independent enough, I do agree with the members, and Mr. Wernick, who have said that there is a professional civil service, and there are legal consultations and a framework in place. My reporting, though, has shown that in practice bureaucrats are human, Ottawa is not the biggest place in the world, and it can be that humans might not take the decision to take a regulatory action against an elected member who may have appointed them or whose predecessor may have appointed them. I think that that's a question in front of the members.