I think I should take this question.
Parliamentary institutions, including the Library of Parliament, are not subject to the same reporting relationships as government departments or agencies. We are the legislative branch of government; we work for and with you, and we're not subject to having to report in the same way as the departments and agencies of government. So, in effect, we are independent.
The issue with regard to the officers of Parliament, you'll have to raise with them. Their situation may be different from ours.
Nothing we do is vetted by government departments. I report, through the authority of the Parliament of Canada Act, to the Speakers of the House of Commons and the Senate. They are advised by a standing joint committee of both Houses on the Library of Parliament with regard to my operations. I'll be appearing before them in two weeks' time on my estimates.
Essentially, our policies reflect, we hope, the best practices that can be found or put in place, but they're applied through the parliamentary lens only to our operations.
Obviously, my appointment and those of the Clerk of the House and the Clerk of the Senate are Governor in Council appointments, and as such, the Privy Council Office has determined that we must be subject to the performance management program that applies to other Governor in Council appointments.
I will say, however, that the Parliamentary Budget Officer has one level of independence even higher than that, since his is a GCQ appointment, like those of members of quasi-judicial tribunals, and therefore his performance pay is built into his base salary, unlike those of either the Parliamentary Librarian or the Clerk of the House of the Clerk of the Senate.
I hope that answers your question.