We've run some surveys, and those surveys have always found that continuing interest. But you make a good point in wondering whether we are really getting the best and brightest and getting the right people to go into public service to provide public service leadership. Having committed my own entire career to the public service, of course, I tend to think there's a continuing interest. But that's a bit self-serving, obviously.
The government, but particularly the Clerk of the Privy Council, has taken a lot of leadership on his renewal agenda and has put some effort into branding the public service. Part of that branding exercise is actually an effort to clearly articulate what public service is about, the range of jobs—we are the biggest employer, with a huge diversity in jobs—and the pride that people have in doing that work. A very interesting video has been done, and we carry it on our website.
The other thing we are trying to do with that website is make sure that it is more interactive and is giving people a taste of the different kinds of jobs. We're doing a lot using, as much as we possibly can, new media to communicate.
I think too that the current economic situation shows how important public service is and how important good delivery of programs and activities to the Canadian public is.
My reading of this literature—and I may not have the same depth of understanding of this as you have—is that Canadians generally have always expected more of government than have Americans. They've had a view of government different from that of Americans, and I think that's reflected in the interest in working in government.