Mr. Chairman, the issue here is a matter of different timeframes. In terms of the problems that were identified in relation to the sponsorship program those problems related to the time period between 1997 and 2000. We would agree with both the auditor general, our own internal audit section and with the critic for the official opposition that the management practices that were applied in that period between 1997 and 2000 were not up to snuff. They were not acceptable.
The audit revealed to us how corrections could be made. The review of the audit in 2002 indicated that the corrections had in fact been made. On the matter of old verbal contracts it needs to be noted that if criticism was valid at some point in time it was prior to the year 2000 under the old regime. Ever since the year 2000 corrective action has been underway.