Government Operations committee  Yes.

Government Operations committee  It's about 750, about 60-40, Ottawa-Winnipeg, approximately.

Government Operations committee  Well, they're circulation coinage, so they're sold for their face value, and we don't charge a premium for any numismatic characteristic. We produce a certain number--it was 30 million--and once they're produced, that's it. We're not going to produce more poppy coins or more breast cancer coins.

Government Operations committee  Over the years we have produced coins for 52 countries. Right now we are producing coins for 12 countries. It varies, of course, because we hope to get more customers. Barbados, for example--and I did visit them, and it was in winter, I will confess--is our oldest customer. We have been producing coins for Barbados for 33 years at the Royal Canadian Mint.

Government Operations committee  From 2002 to 2007, it is about $450 million.

Government Operations committee  It is really a separate calculation. It simply reflects the value to the department. We never see a nickel of that.

Government Operations committee  That's one I haven't been fully briefed on, so I'm going to ask Ms. Nadeau.

Government Operations committee  We license the technology. We can rely upon Jarden to produce blanks for our circulation coins, and on that we don't extract a royalty, but if they were to use that technology on a contract that they might have, we would get a royalty on any sales they have. I think it's in the order of 15%.

Government Operations committee  Well, it is patented, but patents do run out, and this one will start to run out in 2010 or 2012. Yes, we're worried about that, so those clever individuals over at 320 Sussex are still doing their research to see if we can further improve the product and get the patent refreshed, to use the jargon, so that we will take another step forward in the level of technology that we're able to sell and market.

Government Operations committee  I wish. The collective bargaining agreements expire at the end of this year, so we're in the process now of preparing for collective bargaining and so is the union. The Mint has a pretty good labour history. It had some black marks in the early 1990s, when there was a strike, but it is certainly an objective of mine--and I think of the union's as well--to maintain the good will.

Government Operations committee  When I was in the Department of Finance as deputy minister I thought the Mint should be paying more dividends. I no longer do. But you're right, you're absolutely right. The facility in Winnipeg was built in the mid-1970s. Some of the machinery is still original--those presses that I was talking about--so we do have to renew them.

Government Operations committee  No, I think the investments--

Government Operations committee  Yes, absolutely. Those investments are planned. I'm really quite confident, although we are in a volatile business, I want to underline that. So if I come back here and we haven't quite made our targets, I want to have an excuse. It is a volatile business. One of the things I've said to my people is that what I value is to be on your toes and to be able to react to change.

Government Operations committee  We got it at 320 Sussex Drive. That's where the Royal Canadian Mint is, and that's where this technology was developed, in-house.

Government Operations committee  It is Canadian ingenuity that has really paid off. It's something of which we should really be proud.