Thank you, Madam Chair.
Ms. Jolicoeur, gentlemen, good afternoon. It is always a pleasure to have you appear before us.
What caught my attention in the supplementary estimates is of course everything related to the lease-back agreements and federal government buildings. That brings back memories, Mr. McBain. In fact, I think that it was with you that we had a lot of discussions about the lease-back agreements.
Mr. Lakroni, you state the following in your opening remarks: “As was the case last year, the greatest portion of the funds requested, $80.2 million, addresses increased volume of office accommodation [...]”. You also state that you have “higher rental rates for leases being renewed, additional fit-up costs, [...] increases in municipal taxes, utility prices and building maintenance costs”.
However, a few years ago, the government undertook many of what we refer to as “lease-backs”. How come there are many lease-backs, and yet there has to be such an increase in the estimates? What is going on?