Thank you, Mr. Chair.
Mr. Goodale, I want to run through a couple of details with you.
You mentioned in your opening remarks that you felt this process was fair. After explaining the circumstances to Mr. Gagliano, or after him obviously briefing himself on this, we have just learned that this was not a normal process. In fact, he said he could never recall a tender going out and the whole process being trashed and then a lease being signed subsequent to that.
Janice Cochrane, whom we heard testify before the committee, totally changed her position in two e-mails. In one e-mail she said:
The financial analysis indicated that the recommended solution is more economical than renewal through direct negotiations.
In this context we had nothing to justify submitting to you a request for approval to negotiate directly with the owner of 800 Place Victoria.