Not at all, sir. I would suggest that if the firm that is hired purported to provide definitive recommendations in any kind of way, it would have a very wrong understanding of its role. The role of the firm will be to support the panel, to provide it the best possible cross-sectoral analysis of the information provided in the submissions and to bring added professional capacity to the panel so that they may look at the 22 submissions in a concerted and analytically robust fashion, bringing forth their own very significant expertise. I think you will find that the individuals who serve on the panel are doing so with independence of mind, with integrity and credibility that are extremely strong; and they will be making the recommendations to the minister.
On August 21st, 2009. See this statement in context.