I'm not sure if this has been discussed, and I don't believe it has: public service neutrality. We talk about Bill C-2, the increased accountability of deputy ministers and the impact it would have on the public service and on their ability to make decisions, and specifically the neutrality. Ministers are obviously partisan. They represent government. They have a political affiliation and they make policy and they're held accountable in a different light, and the buck stops with them. With Bill C-2 and the proposed changes to the Accountability Act and the increased accountability for deputy ministers, does that impact, in your opinion, the neutrality and their ability to function in that fashion?
On November 21st, 2006. See this statement in context.