Thank you, Mr. Chairman.
And thank you, Madame Deschamps, for the question regarding women in politics. I will not comment on women on either side of the House, but in general, it's great to see women participating in politics.
In a democratic society there is a loop between the governed and the governors. Those who are governed have to be happy with the governors or else they're going to find a way to change the government. Since 50% of our population is made up of women, and they have a voice, I would like that voice heard loudly and clearly in the political sphere. That is how you're going to find more women in the political process, where they exert the influence and the opinions they have.
Within the public service, I'm glad to see, for example, Madam Barrados, president of the Public Service Commission. I've known her for many years, since I came here, first as Assistant Auditor General. And of course we have Ms. Fraser, the Auditor General, and others in senior ranks. This is good. We recognize the role women can, should, and must play in the governance of our society. These are the issues I'm glad to see we are addressing as a mature and developed nation.
On your last point, about whether the public service can exert their opinion on the government on public policy, no, they cannot come out publicly and criticize the government. That is not their role. As I said, they have an allegiance to the population and to the citizens at large, not an allegiance to the government of the day. They have an obligation to implement the policies of the government of the day, but they do not owe their allegiance to the government, because the governments change. Society doesn't. And that is where we find a public service that is professional, efficient, competent, trained, with both genders delivering services and feeding information into the government as to what public policy should be.Then we're going to enhance the values provided to our government and enhance our society.