Government Operations committee  I would like to remove the reference to the minister responsible, who happens to be the Prime Minister. I want to move an amendment to remove that part of the motion. The person who can discuss these matters with us will testify before us. It will definitely not be the Prime Minister, because that will not be accepted.

Government Operations committee  I would just like to suggest a friendly amendment to Ms. Peggy Nash. I move that the motion read as follows: That the Standing Committee on Government Operations and Estimates immediately undertake the study of the report by the Public Appointments Commission Secretariat on the appointments process for various agencies such as the Immigration and Refugee Board, the Parole Board, the National Advisory Council on Aging, and so on, and that the committee report its findings to the House of Commons.

Government Operations committee  I have some reservations about this. I have no doubt that my colleague's intentions are good. However, I am very concerned, as are Ms. Nash and my colleague, because there have been and will be appointments that seem unacceptable. We could start asking questions immediately about the way in which these appointments were made.

Government Operations committee  May I have the floor again, Madam Chair?

Government Operations committee  You answered my question about clause 227. That's good.

Government Operations committee  You said that it was the Prime Minister, to the best of your knowledge. I asked you a question about the connection between this motion and the other one. This one refers to studying the activities of the Public Appointments Commission Secretariat, and later, you want to study the Secretariat's report with respect to specific appointments.

Government Operations committee  My colleague and I would agree if the motion ended after the word “2006”. That would shorten the motion considerably, of course. In both the French and English versions the motion would end after “2006”. It is quite simple, we are suggesting that we hear from someone and that we find out what the Secretariat has been doing since it came into being.

Government Operations committee  Have you called for the vote, Ms. Nash?

Government Operations committee  I had, Madam Chair. First of all, could you please tell me, Ms. Nash—I do not have a copy of the text—what clause 227 states? Second, there is reference to the minister responsible. Is that the Prime Minister? I want things to be very clear. Third, you are asking that we study the activities of the commission.

Government Operations committee  Do I have any time left, Madam Chair?

Government Operations committee  Absolutely, yes.

Government Operations committee  Therefore, the Secretariat does not have this data, but the departments do.

Government Operations committee  We have heard talk about the maintenance deficit involving certain buildings belonging to Public Works and Government Services. I do not want to target them, but those are the figures we have. We are also aware of the policy and the desire of that department to sell off certain buildings and to leave them to the private sector.

Government Operations committee  Links, yes.

Government Operations committee  Thank you, Madam Chair. Thank you, ladies, for being here today. Did you say that there is a centralized database? Does it really exist? Does the Treasury Board Secretariat have the data on all real property that the various departments and institutions... In other words, do you have a complete picture?