I'd simply point out that it was my understanding that this data is regularly produced and filed as part of the new accountability that was created under the Federal Accountability Act, and the change of the type of accounting to accrual accounting for the Government of Canada, etc.--that main shift that took place--meant that this data was produced in each department and filed monthly and that this information should be current and up to date and available. It was never the plan that it should be hoarded by the government for its own purposes. It was in the interests of accountability and transparency that this evolution took place in the monitoring of the spending and accounting of the government.
Notwithstanding the argument about whether it would be available tomorrow or June 25, there shouldn't be any great hardship in making this information available to a parliamentary committee. We're not asking the Government of Canada to release it in a press release to the people of Canada, but surely the government operations and estimates committee is the appropriate place for this information to flow. My concern with June 25 is that Parliament will be adjourned and this committee won't convene again until October, perhaps. What are we supposed to do with that information? How would it even be circulated from June 25 on?