This is a big business-model-type decision that we're grappling with right now. How do we set priorities? How do we work with the Library of Parliament? How do we work with the Auditor General as well, so that we make the best use of available resources?
Having spoken a few times with the Auditor General, I'm very interested in the way she establishes, in a very public way, her work plans for the next five years. Just from going around the table here, a lot of good ideas have been brought forward that could be priorities. But those priorities will take up available resources that have been established for the parliamentary budget officer role.
We will work with parliamentarians over the next number of months in terms of how this business model could work, the priorities we're hearing about. This is the fourth committee I've been at. We will actually put together a work plan.
One option is actually making the work plan public so that you know, for example, with the issue you just reported, Mr. Angus, that not long after the release of the public accounts for the following fiscal year we will prepare a report on lapses, as ongoing product that you can look forward to. If we put out those kinds of products, that kind of transparency--again, it's a model that the Auditor General uses--that will allow you to understand where we're putting our resources.
I think we have a mandate that has been well defined. We're now in the act of Parliament. We're working within the economic and fiscal analysis, the estimates and costing. You could say that you could probably drive a truck through any one of those agenda items.
I think if we could work toward some kind of public work plan--this is what we're doing analytically--then you'll have a good sense of thins. And that work plan will evolve as your priorities change.