Thank you very much.
Sorry, we have only a very short period of time. I want to follow through on some earlier questions with regard to PCO.
Public Works and Government Services Canada has a tremendous amount of money and has a tremendous number of programs under its responsibility. I appreciate the work that you do and appreciate the fact that you're here today. A question came up earlier to the Privy Council Office concerning support to ministerial staff, and whether they have been put under pressure by the minister's office. One of the questions was around--I'll use the term--the “Jaffer affair”.
We have received a tremendous amount of information from your office, or from Public Works and Government Services Canada. There have been a number of e-mails and a number of discussions that were going on.
I have two questions. First, is it normal practice for the minister to ask you to meet with a potential supplier?
Second, this goes to a question from an e-mail from André Morin--I think he's a strategic adviser to you--who says,
The DM is concerned about this type of request
—I'm assuming it's the request for the meeting—
and by the fact that it can contravene and disrupt our daily operational or program requirements, task and work.
Can you elaborate on your concern for that?
Thank you.