Mr. Chairman, the selection criteria for evaluating the performance of returning officers and for determining whether they should keep their jobs or not were tabled with the Speaker of the House on December 12 or 13. I think that he recently made them public, because there was a loss at a certain point.
The criteria were set by Elections Canada and they are based on our understanding of the returning officer's role. It is important to be politically impartial and to be able to manage a group comprised of x number of persons. In fact, 500 or 600 persons are hired for one day and they need training. The returning officer is also in charge of an office with about 30 people. He must have an understanding of human resources.
Elections Canada developed its process for selecting returning officers before the adoption of Bill C-2. We wrote to every political party leader and we asked them for their advice regarding returning officers.