Government Operations committee  We have the capacity to accept disclosures from members of the public. I honestly don't think that using evidence from outside the public sector will have a major impact. We have identification processes, as well as processes for gathering and analyzing the necessary evidence to determine whether or not a wrongdoing took place.

Government Operations committee  I hope so, Mr. Chair. I am very proud to say that our processes are becoming increasingly effective. We have service standards we always comply with. We currently have 25 employees, but we are very sensitive to potential changes and have some flexibility. As a result, we can change the way we use certain financial resources.

Government Operations committee  We have to remain very flexible.

Government Operations committee  I'm very proud of having an 85% retention rate. We invest in our staff. We have to remain sensitive to the demands and interests of all staff. I am proud to tell you that our team is integrated—it is strong and proud—but that requires an investment in terms of time, spirit and resources.

Government Operations committee  There are many ways to measure success, a large one being that we feel we have dealt with all matters in a fair and just way. Perhaps this is an opportunity for me to underscore the fact that we do not represent one party or another in any investigation but we represent the public interest.

Government Operations committee  It's administered by our legal services unit. We have a legal services group of four lawyers. They administer this program for us, do the analysis of every request, and then it's presented to me for approval.

Government Operations committee  As long as the wrongdoing is in or related to the public service, the regime is open to be used, if I can put it that way, by a public servant who makes a disclosure according to a specific structure within the act. They can go internally to their own manager, internally to a special senior officer appointed under the legislation internally, or they can come externally to us.

Government Operations committee  I will ask Ms. Fraser to clarify.

Government Operations committee  Most of the external spending goes to human resources services, information and computer resources, and financial services. We actually have to buy those services.

Government Operations committee  To date, I can say with confidence that our independence has been respected, acknowledged. I would also say that the moment I felt our independence was being compromised in any way, I would have no hesitation in coming forward to the appropriate committee, or in the appropriate forum, as a member of a group of agents of Parliament or on my own.

Government Operations committee  Subject to a final verification—we're in the process of doing that as we prepare to issue our annual report in June—we had 90 disclosures of wrongdoing brought to our office last year. That was a slight increase from the previous year, which was 84. We had 28 reprisal cases. That was a decrease of one from the previous year, which was 29.

Government Operations committee  Yes, that isn't part of the mandate. Our costs for all our investigative work are funded from our budget. On the issue of lawyers' fees, I would like to also point out that our act specifically allows us to provide funding to people involved in a file, regardless of what side they might be on, to get legal advice with respect to either making a disclosure or being involved in an investigation.

Government Operations committee  That's correct.

Government Operations committee  Yes, and not only the person accused, but also the person making the allegation or the person making a reprisal complaint. Any party involved has access to this fund. There are conditions that apply to it under the legislation, with one of the most important being that they have to satisfy us they do not otherwise have access to free legal advice.

Government Operations committee  Mr. Chair, I have not had the requirement or the opportunity to seek extra funds, because we've been able, quite thankfully, to manage within our budgets. I know there have been structural changes. There used to be something called the parliamentary panel that was responsible for dealing with matters of financial administration of agents of Parliament.