Thank you.
With regard to the expertise of the panel members, it is expected that since they are engaged full time in hearing these appeals, they will become experts on not only the provisions associated with the programs they are hearing appeals on but also on the various different elements, for example, with employment insurance, the various regional differences in how the employment insurance program is designed to respond to those regional variations.
Right now we have part-time panels, who, although they do a wonderful job, are in and out of hearing appeals, depending upon the number of appeals and the location of appeals. There isn't always a constant flow of appeals to keep their knowledge fresh. We actually do annual information sessions. We do many of them each year across the country to make sure our board referee members are up to date with changes in the legislation, policy changes, and emerging jurisprudence. Under the new structure, the members of the panels who will actually hear the EI appeals at the first level will be hired as EI experts at the beginning.