Procedure and House Affairs committee  I'm not sure that is correct in the sense that I think the audit didn't go one step behind that to ask if these policies are the correct ones. I think that's one of the difficulties with this discussion of the board: that many different issues become conflated. We're talking about the Board of Internal Economy and the administration as the executing arm, if you will, or the executing body for the decisions of the board, and we're talking about information about those decisions.

Procedure and House Affairs committee  Mr. Chairman, I think this is a very important question. One of the things we were particularly pleased with when Mark and I visited London and talked to John Sills, and his colleagues at IPSA and the colleagues at the House of Commons, was finding that the processes we have in place and the kinds of policies that determine those processes are very similar to what IPSA has in place.

Procedure and House Affairs committee  Mr. Chairman, through you to Mr. Lukiwski, when I testified, appearing at the first meeting of the committee, I said that the board operated by consensus. It's my belief that this is an accurate description of how the board operates. I did say that there had been one vote in my almost nine years' experience as secretary to the board.

Procedure and House Affairs committee  Good morning, Mr. Chairman, honorables députés. I am pleased to be here with Mark Watters as we return for what I believe will be the final session of hearing witnesses in your study on the Board of Internal Economy. I have followed your hearings with interest. I found the comments and suggestions made by those who have appeared before the committee very informative.

Procedure and House Affairs committee  I know. Sorry, sorry, sorry: I rabbit on.

Procedure and House Affairs committee  I'd be happy to come back.

Procedure and House Affairs committee  In terms of non-recognized parties, I have to tell you—and I am really going out on a limb here—that the whole issue is not necessarily a problem with the Board of Internal Economy, but rather because the rules changed at some stage. I think that the NDP was the non-recognized party at that time.

Procedure and House Affairs committee  I'd bring my sleeping bag.

Procedure and House Affairs committee  Sure.

Procedure and House Affairs committee  Yes, absolutely.

Procedure and House Affairs committee  Maybe—again, not to sort of plan on cooked answers, but to deal with the fact that I rabbit on—if members had specific questions they wanted to submit in advance, that might help in keeping things more succinct, or in keeping me more succinct, not them.

Procedure and House Affairs committee  Thank you very much.

Procedure and House Affairs committee  It is true that times have changed, Mr. Chair. Like Ms. May, you talked about points, and about business class and economy class. But people need to know that we run ourselves ragged so that members of Parliament, who are travelling all the time, can normally do so, not as cheaply as possible, but with passes, for example.

Procedure and House Affairs committee  No. Given the clearly unique environment in which we work, the problems that arise are ideological or political. Some people want to see a certain approach and others do not share that point of view. The debate is not about the facts, but rather about the approach. That is what happened in the only case that I can recall where a vote was needed.

Procedure and House Affairs committee  You're very kind.