Thank you, Chair.
Good morning, Mr. Hayes. Thank you for your attendance.
At the heart of this Liberal scandal is the payment under Minister Champagne's department of at least $40 million to companies that did not meet the funding criteria. I say “at least” $40 million, because some of the media reports seem to indicate that it's probably the bare minimum. We're talking about other tens of millions of dollars that went to new funding streams and new companies being created under funding agreements that did not accord with the original funding agreement with the federal government.
In my view, that raises criminality. I know that the original report from RCGT put restrictions that this is in no way an admission of any liability, civil or criminal. I know that no police agency has taken this on on their own, so I'm going to turn to you, sir. I know that part of your department... There is a mandate to turn matters over to the police where you discover criminality. I'd like to ask you specifically what that threshold is. What is that legal threshold or administrative threshold where you believe the police need to investigate?
I'll give you an example. When police investigate any crime, from shoplifting to homicide, their governing doctrine is, “Do we have evidence of probable and reasonable grounds to charge someone or to arrest someone?” That is distinct from the prosecutor's threshold, which is proof beyond a reasonable doubt before anyone can be convicted.
What is the threshold, legal or administrative, within your department?