Mr. Chairman, I don't think that at any time this has been an accepted practice. I think the Treasury Board rules are clear, that if you are going to work—The values and ethics code for the public service says:
Without unduly restricting their ability to seek other employment, former public servants should undertake to minimize the possibility of real, apparent or potential conflicts—
I don't think at any time it was sanctioned. But I think people took advantage of vagueness in the rules to do this kind of thing. I don't think it was ever sanctioned by the Treasury Board. I think the new Accountability Act will certainly put more teeth into it, and make it much more clear that this is not acceptable.