I acknowledge that. I've read the transcripts, and I've been watching the committee with interest. To be quite frank, I'm a little surprised at that.
However, it is clear that various ministers have various responsibilities within the process. On behalf of the ministers, various departments exercise certain prerogatives within the process.
As I said when I read from the Treasury Board document I have here, which is a document that has been in place for quite some time, it is the operating department that is ultimately responsible to ensure whatever is procured meets the requirements of the Canadian Forces. The operating department's money pays for it.
The Minister of Industry is responsible for the aspect of industrial and regional benefits. The public works minister and his staff are responsible for the contracting aspects. Each of them has the responsibility to provide those services overall throughout the acquisition process.
Ultimately, if the acquisition process fails, the equipment doesn't meet the requirements, and there are cost overruns, it is clear in my mind that the defence department is accountable.
When I was the assistant deputy minister of materiel, I chaired the interdepartmental committees, and it was clear to me who was going to hang if things went wrong.