I think they took it seriously.
I would mention that every single decision that was made at ISED had PCO involvement from day one because members of SDTC's board were appointed by the Privy Council. It was stated to us across, basically, seven or eight meetings that any time there was a decision or finding within ISED, the bureaucrats were not able to move unless they spoke to both the minister's office and the Prime Minister's Office before the decisions were made. In every instance of that situation, nothing ever moved forward.