Thank you.
I share Mr. Albrecht's concern about our running off on different tangents and about the need to be focused.
I think the issue here, however, is that we have been looking at the issue, the real estate sales. It is an issue we have tried to keep some kind of continuity with. I'm also noticing that it has been suggested that we at least put one day to it in the next cycle of meetings. This is something we have already been in the process of doing. I have written a letter to the Ethics Commissioner, and I'm certainly interested in hearing back from him on their point of view.
However, I think it would be odd for our committee to have another hearing on the real estate transactions when the elephant is in the room with something that has raised serious questions about Public Works staff, a member of the Prime Minister's office, and a big real estate deal in a federal building. Whether or not there's smoke or fire out of that, I don't know, but I would think that if we have a day set aside to look at the real estate issue, to actually look at this would probably be the most realistic use of time.
Whether something comes from it, we can find out from that meeting. But we're already on that path anyway, so I'd just as soon look at it and then move on.