Thank you, Madam Chair.
Ms. Fraser, it is a pleasure, as always, to welcome you to the committee. You hail from a lovely region that I know well. The people in my riding ofVaudreuil-Soulanges admire you tremendously for the accuracy of your analyses. In fact, if I were to pass along to you all the letters I receive, you would have enough work to keep you occupied for years. People admire your candour.
I'm familiar with other departments, and when the conversation turns to accrual accounting... When someone forces the government's hand by setting deadlines or by adopting legislative measures, all of a sudden, it comes up with a magic formula to effect the changes needed. The immigration committee witnessed this first hand in the case of lost Canadians and again in the case of international adoptions and the rights of adopted children.
I have a raft of questions. I also have a soft spot for the preservation of the arts and for artists. I have read your report and one thing concerns me, namely the matter of the official residences. These buildings house many works of art that reflect our artistic heritage.
Have you received any warnings from conservation societies or from people working in the field of heritage and art preservation that treasured works of art are somehow at risk?