In 2004, we prepared a report about the sponsorships audit and then carried out a study of general roles and responsibilities within the public service. On the one hand, this study indicated that the roles needed to be clarified, particularly the roles of the minister and the deputy minister, and that it was necessary to identify who was responsible for what; on the other hand, it showed that many documents could be confusing, because terms such as "accountable", rendre compte in French, and "answerable" were used, even though the latter has a different connotation. At the end of the line, no one was answerable or accountable.
I cannot comment on the policies set out in Bill C-2. Nevertheless, this bill clarifies everyone's roles. Needless to say, everything will depend on how the act is implemented. It is essential that all deputy ministers be aware of precisely what their role is and what they are accountable for.