Thank you, Mr. Chairman.
We appreciate the chance to have the discussion today. As a background to my comments, we have given again the response to recommendations 1 through 4. In terms of the six areas of recommendations by the Auditor General, I spoke to the vacancy issue, we spoke to the orientation and training issue, where we both agree substantial progress has been made. In the Auditor General's report, she, in effect, notes that progress has been made on the transparency and increased rigour in the processes, and we appreciate that.
The Auditor General has raised the issue of communication, both about process and about results. We agree with the need to act on that. And the guidance to ministers' offices is, as they set out, six months before expiry of a full-time appointment, three months before expiry of a part-time appointment, and also a process for communication in the event of appointments.
On those issues, I very much agree, and I hope we've put in place the kind of process that will lead to a remedy of the issues raised by the Auditor General.