Public Accounts committee  That's an excellent question. We do have some very capable, very skilled individuals within the organization. I suggest the number is probably accurate. Twelve people are in very key positions. In some of those key positions, their potential to retire is imminent. We have been aware of that for a number of years.

Public Accounts committee  Yes, we were provided with an indication, I believe it was three years ago, that budget cuts were imminent. It was made very clear to us as to the nature and the size of those budget cuts. We have been very diligent in pursuing and identifying how we are going to achieve that. It will not compromise our expertise within the organization, and we will achieve those budget cuts.

Public Accounts committee  I am in complete agreement. It's a very important component of the CDC. We go back to our mandate and, within the mandate, it makes reference to ensuring that there is an adequate and continuous supply of high-quality dairy products. We read into it that innovation and new opportunities are an important part of that.

Public Accounts committee  We have a scholarship program. That scholarship program has been very successful. It has been in place for about nine or ten years. Over the course of those nine or ten years, we have supported 57 master's projects and 20 Ph.D. projects. They are dairy-focused projects. They are projects for which the intent is that on a long-term basis, by investing in education and young people in terms of their interest in the dairy industry, and by investing in master's and Ph.D. projects, we will create an opportunity, a road map, if you like, for innovation.

Public Accounts committee  It's a very good point. Recently, and I'm going to suggest it was in the last three or four years, part of our annual report included an indication of our objectives. We link our objectives in a given three-year period back to our mandate. Our high-reaching goals are basically the two components of our mandate.

Public Accounts committee  First of all, we take the Auditor General's recommendations very seriously. The constraint comes from the CDC Act. The CDC Act stipulates three commissioners. We are in complete agreement with the Auditor General if he is suggesting that it would be better served with a larger contingent on the commission.

Public Accounts committee  The manner in which we assess the need for support, if you like, in terms of shortfalls in skill sets, is our judgment. It's a judgment on a particular agenda item, a particular issue, in terms of whether or not we believe that the skill sets of the individuals are adequate to meet the needs of our mandate.

Public Accounts committee  Yes, it's the judgment of the three board members.

Public Accounts committee  I think our criterion is our experience. I would use the example of the conversion to IFR standards. Speaking personally, my background experience includes the managing of a very large dairy organization in Canada as chief operating officer and president. I'm very familiar with the management of reviews of budgets and financial statements and so forth, but I have absolutely no expertise related to the conversion of systems within an organization.

Public Accounts committee  It's very infrequently. I believe that we have a skill set relative to the ongoing review of the financial administration of the organization that is adequate. Notwithstanding this, we are in agreement with the OAG that an opportunity to add an individual with a financial designation would be a benefit.

Public Accounts committee  It's a very important component of our responsibility. It is a responsibility shared with many other agencies within Canada. Specifically, within the CDC in the areas that we have direct influence over, we have over the years introduced a number of programs to facilitate the growth of dairy products and the opportunity for growth within Canada.

Public Accounts committee  We have excellent communications and relationships with government. The development of our objectives and strategic plans is done in consultation and in concert with government. We constantly refer back to our CDC mandate, which is to ensure that we provide efficient producers with an opportunity to obtain a fair return, and to provide a continuous supply of quality dairy products.

Public Accounts committee  There were three primary areas, as indicated. If I were to simplify them, the first area is the area of skill sets on the board. There was an indication by the OAG that, in particular and more specifically, there was a shortfall in the financial skill set on the board. We concur.

Public Accounts committee  Good morning. My name is Randy Williamson, and I am the chairman of the Canadian Dairy Commission. We refer to it as the CDC. I've been invited today to discuss the information contained in the 2012 Auditor General's report that concerns a special examination of the CDC. I would like to give you a quick overview of the Canadian Dairy Commission.

Public Accounts committee  I'm not sure if there are or not. If I can consult with our corporate secretary—