In speaking from the private sector, yes, being arm's length from government is absolutely crucial.
We've seen what's happening in the United States under the current administration. Data can be massaged, perhaps in the wrong way. It's having an arm's-length, very neutral body—and I won't get into the debate over the National Energy Board and whether it was fulfilling its arm's-length mandate—that has the thumbs-up from the federal government: “We believe this. We think it's good. It's open to scrutiny. Everybody has verified it. Everybody has signed off saying they're happy with the way this is collected and the manner in which it is disseminated.”