I have two or three overview points, but first I would like to commend our research department for helping us be prepared for this by spending their summer compiling a tonne of information for us to peruse and supposedly know a little more than we did going in.
It's going to be a challenging process, but I and many committee members believe that we have to get to a point where decisions are made. You have echoed the concern that it's been eight years with still no decision. I really believe we have to get to a point where we have a decision, regardless of what that decision is. There has to be some kind of consistency in operation. So I'm hopeful that the information will come from witnesses like you and others who will be called to at least lead us in a definitive direction. That's just a bit of an overview statement.
I don't know if you're allowed to say, but obviously all of your recommendations have not been accepted by the government. I can recall sitting on the public accounts committee as well, where recommendations were made and the government didn't take them, or it accepted them in part. Have you had any direct communication where reasons were given for rejection, or reasons were given to your departments as to why it would not be preferable to go along this line? Have you even had communication with the different levels of government, the agencies and/or the departments, expressing any reservations about the accrual process?