They were just as accessible to us as they are to everyone else. We did not do an audit. We did not do an in-depth analysis, because that is not really part of our mandate. I received information from the Privy Council Office on the advertisement process and the procedure they follow, but I did not receive any assurance. Nor do I have any more information on how exactly it works.
We feel that the same principles should apply not just to core members of the public service, but also to senior managers. In our view, all appointments should be merit-based and non-partisan. And assurance is needed to confirm that that is currently the case. So that is why we recommended that an independent organization or commission be able to provide that assurance.