In fact, it was just the opposite, Mr. Chair. When we dealt with this matter, as the committee is aware, we wanted to get all the information before we made a decision. That is why I wrote Ms. Keen on December 27, advising her that we were considering this but that we would like to have all of her input and an opportunity for her to correspond directly, which in fact she did.
Only after receiving all of that information did we begin the evaluation. At one point the government believed that Ms. Keen had not fulfilled her executive responsibilities as president and CEO, and that we had not needed to get to this position.
It's important that the government have confidence that she could fill her mandate. We did not believe that she had the confidence of the government. It's incumbent upon us to make a decision to that effect. That is what, in fact, we did.
I advised my deputy minister early yesterday of the decision we were making. That decision was carried out by senior personnel with regard to the timing and the process that they follow. That's not something that I would do. That would be done by senior personnel in the Privy Council Office.