I was listening to my colleague from the Bloc, Diane, and I couldn't agree with her more. The estimates process is a fundamental cornerstone in the way we conduct ourselves in our parliamentary democracy. It hasn't been appreciated fully in recent years, I don't believe.
I come from Manitoba, where the estimates are scrutinized. A minister has to sit in front of a committee sometimes for 12 hours while they are grilled on their estimates--not after the fact on what they spent but what they intend to spend and how they justify that budget line. We don't do any of that here. The only tool we have is the newly created Parliamentary Budget Officer. I'm very concerned. The public has a right to know what their government is doing with their money.
I'd like to use what little time I have to ask you specifically, what types of questions were you putting where they use the excuse that, no, I'm sorry, that would be a cabinet confidence? Where did you run into that problem? I too am concerned about the bracket creep that's going on that is expanding what we used to consider to be legitimate cabinet confidences.