Thank you, Madam Chair.
Mr. Wouters, Ms. d'Auray and gentlemen, good afternoon and welcome to the committee.
First, I would like to say that I didn't know there was a Government of Canada communications policy. Please pardon my ignorance. I've seen that policy nowhere. Would you be so kind as to file it with the committee so that we can examine it, unless it is already on a website? I see no problem in the Government of Canada's using a communications policy. Canadian citizens, like Quebeckers, have the opportunity, since they pay taxes, to access information and services offered by the Canadian government.
I didn't know that policy had a part entitled “Signage”. Don't worry, I'm not throwing stones, but I get the impression you felt obliged to insert a few pages on signage in your presentation document. You seem to be saying that this policy entails two important points. First, “[...] this information is necessary in order to gain access to government programs and services [...]” and, second, “[...] to reach the largest number of Canadians to inform them of the measures being taken to stimulate the economy.”
Does the Government of Canada absolutely need to install signs to inform citizens that it has, for example, changed the windows or door knobs of a building? I'm referring to an article that appeared in Le Devoir or in La Presse, stating that signs were posted to indicate that the economic recovery plan had been used to make changes to government buildings. Does the Government of Canada need to use these kinds of communications to tell the public how many millions of dollars it has invested in a government building?