Mr. Chair, I'm not aware of any conversations that would have transpired. If I had had any conversations with my colleague, the deputy minister of ISED, at the time, they would have been to underscore the need to be cautious in conversations with any members in the organization, because they were appointed to “good behaviour” tenure. This means there was a very high bar to remove them from office. That is a standard comment that I would make to any of my colleagues engaging with “good behaviour” appointees. We need to be cautious in conversations we have with them.
That would have been the extent of it, if I had had any conversations. I don't recall, and I certainly don't have any notes to the effect of conversations along the lines of the member's inquiry.