It is not correct, Mr. Chair, in the following sense, that I am not an employee of Elections Canada. I have a special import appointment made pursuant to section 509 of the act, and the act calls for me, as I mentioned in my opening remarks, to see to the enforcement of the Canada Elections Act. And in the exercise of that mandate, I act in a manner that is totally independent from both Elections Canada and the Chief Electoral Officer.
I have been in the job for 20 months and since then there has never been any attempt by the CEO, by elected officials, by political parties to interfere with my investigations or to influence how they unfold.