Absolutely. I applaud them for being proactive in their approach and the language they use.
To use your statement just from a minute ago, Madam, I think it's fair to say that maybe even in departments there is the presumption that it's going to happen anyway, so they can just go ahead and start doing it even before it's passed. The role of this committee is to try to say, “Hold on a second. You can say, 'If this is passed, these are some of the things....'” With some of the laws we're working on, it will take time for people to make adjustments. Being proactive in that.... No one's faulting the RCMP for being proactive.
The issue here is the presumption that it's been passed in Parliament when it has not, and the confusion it caused. Where did that come from? Where does that mentality come from? Does it come from an attitude? Does it come from a systemic issue? I don't know. That's one of the things that we have to try to prevent from happening.
I don't suggest for a moment that there was any malicious intent or a conspiracy, as Mr. Bittle suggested, or that somebody was saying this. I just think there is potentially a systemic challenge that governments, departments and public servants can have that clouds the reality of the role of Parliament. We need to be mindful of that.