Public Accounts committee  I think there are a couple of things. I don't need to repeat all that has been said about the importance of the RCMP. My father was a member of the force. I think a lot of Canadians who are watching what's going on are very distressed. I simply know that, particularly with a very unique organization like this, when matters of this sort have come up in the past, the previous government, headed by Prime Minister Paul Martin, called a full and open and independent inquiry to get to the bottom of it.

Public Accounts committee  Now that the individuals who said that have the information, I would just await their apologies.

Public Accounts committee  Let me be as precise as I can be about this. The Auditor General doesn't work for the government and doesn't work for the House of Commons. On other issues I've dealt with here, the Auditor General always went to great pains to say she's independent and her office is independent.

Public Accounts committee  Thank you very much, Mr. Chairman. I will be mercifully brief on this. I was not given any instructions as to specifically what the committee would like to hear from me. I have gone through and have read the blues of the investigation to date, and I'll just make some comments on things as they specifically relate to me.