Bill C-2 (39th Parliament, 1st Session) committee  I don't think there's any information they would want to see that we would refuse to give to them now. If they request it, they will get it. Sometimes it takes quite a long time to get information. I'll give you an example. We received a request about a year ago at the foundation for all the contracts the foundation had let since it was established in 1998.

Bill C-2 (39th Parliament, 1st Session) committee  The governance structure of the Canada Millennium Scholarship Foundation is similar to that of the CFI. The numbers are a little different. We have a 15-person board, six members of which, including the chair, are appointed by the Governor in Council; the other nine directors of the foundation are elected by 15 members of the foundation.

Bill C-2 (39th Parliament, 1st Session) committee  As for the Canada Millennium Scholarship Foundation, the Auditor Gneral did not detect any problem. Just like you, we had thought that with the passage of Bill C-48 the government had authorized the Auditor General to audit the Foundation's activities and accounts. Government representatives informed us that an additional authorization would be required, and we believe that this is provided for under Bill C-2.

Bill C-2 (39th Parliament, 1st Session) committee  Thank you. As I mentioned, the foundation has personal information on between 500,000 and 600,000 students. That information can, depending on the program in which we're supporting the students, contain information about their financial need, their family income, their marks, the programs they're studying—it's almost a complete file on each student.

Bill C-2 (39th Parliament, 1st Session) committee  In closing, we're pleased to participate in the government's effort to make it easier for the public and its elected representatives to understand the work of the foundation. We do not consider the additional requirements to interfere with our independence as a private government-financed charitable foundation operating at arm's length from government.

Bill C-2 (39th Parliament, 1st Session) committee  Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I am accompanied by Andrew Parkin, director of research at the Foundation. The foundation supports the objectives of the Accountability Act, which it perceives to be enhanced public participation in the development and delivery of programs, and enhanced accountability for actions and spending, which we believe will lead to more efficient and effective use of public resources.

Bill C-2 (39th Parliament, 1st Session) committee  With respect to the Conflict of Interest Act, in proposed section 2 there are two definitions that concern us, the definition of public office holder and the definition of reporting public office holder. Depending on whether you consider that the honorarium the foundation pays to the members of its board of directors to be a salary or not, our GIC appointments to the board are either reporting public office holders or public office holders.