Thank you very much.
Thank you, Mr. Manning, Ms. Fraser, and Mr. Wrzesnewskyj, for being with us today.
My first line of questions will be directed to both Mr. Manning and Ms. Fraser, and it deals with the provisions contained in Bill C-23 to remove the commissioner of elections from Elections Canada and place him within the office of the Director of Public Prosecutions, because our contention is that this would give far more independence to the commissioner of elections.
Currently, although the commissioner himself thinks he does have independence, under questioning from myself at his appearance here, it was ascertained that in fact the Chief Electoral Officer—Elections Canada, in other words—can hire and fire the commissioner of elections. Elections Canada controls the commissioner of elections' budget; Elections Canada can direct and compel the commissioner of elections to conduct investigations whether or not the commissioner himself wants to; and the CEO of Elections Canada can stop an ongoing investigation by just requesting that the investigation be halted. To me, that's not independence whatsoever.
What we are suggesting is that the commissioner of elections be removed from that, so then he would have, number one, the ability to control his own budget, to hire his own staff, to determine what investigations he wishes to conduct, but he is not compelled to do so. I think by anybody's common-sense examination, it would be very apparent that this gives the commissioner of elections far more independence than he has now.
Mr. Manning, I know you suggested that you like that part of the provisions of Bill C-23 and I think, Ms. Fraser, you disagree, so I would like to hear both your comments on why you support your particular position and the position as advocated by the government in Bill C-23.
Mr. Manning, you first.
By the way, Mr. Manning, I should start off by asking a question. Ms. Fraser has voluntary disclosed her remuneration by being on the advisory board for Elections Canada, and I should ask you the same question. Mr. Manning, are you being remunerated by Elections Canada?