Thank you, Mr. Chairman and Mr. BĂ©langer.
In terms of role, one of the things the Comptroller General has to do is make sure there are proper financial systems and so forth in place. Looking at costing and at whether or not you're collecting performance data and performance information is something the Comptroller General should do. In having me here, I think there is a recognition that a lot of this issue has to do with whether or not we're getting the right costs or whether the system is producing this information. Then, are people taking it; are they reporting on it properly? Are they being held accountable for it? I think that's a part of what the Comptroller General does.
In terms of the last couple of years, I asked our colleagues at Parks Canada, because they've gone through the system, how long it took them to prepare their submission and go through the consultation and so forth. They told me that it took over a year. I'm told that for others who have gone through the system, it takes one year to two. I've also asked how many of these proposals are lined up, getting ready to go through the system. I'm told there are more than 20, which led me to the conclusion that a number aren't actually taking this seriously and getting ready to go through.