Government Operations committee  That is a big question. For us, the key is to have the right information technology professionals on staff so we have the best managing our IT projects well and getting them delivered on time and on budget. I think what you're also talking about is how we develop our shared services in information technology and make sure we're getting the economies we want out of that shared service.

Government Operations committee  I'm pretty sure we can get you some good information on that, because we're building our information system to track it and manage it that much better. We'll do what we can.

Government Operations committee  I think there is. The personal touch helps in terms of our representation in the regions, but that's not to say that the effect of it isn't felt by those who access the Internet too. I was looking for the stats. I have them. The SME share increased from 24% to more than 30% from 2004 to 2006.

Government Operations committee  Thank you for the question. We have initiatives on a number of fronts. We have internship programs, where we're partnering with universities and colleges to get their students to come and work in the Translation Bureau, either in stages or in the summer months, so that they're training and studying at the same time.

Government Operations committee  No, we're not comfortable. That's why we're trying so hard. We're being creative. I'm comfortable that a career in translation, if I could put a plug in for it, sort of fits what we understand to be the aim of young people today who want independence but a satisfying career. I think they can do that with translation.

Government Operations committee  Mike?

Government Operations committee  Mr. McGrath, can you please respond to that question?

Government Operations committee  Thank you for the question. Certainly encouraging small and medium-sized enterprises is one of our priorities right now. It's certainly an area of lots of activity in our department. We have a new office of small and medium-sized enterprises. We have representatives across the country in six regional offices as well, working with individual companies to help them get access to government procurement.

Government Operations committee  We are certainly pursuing a program for Parliament Hill, including, probably most importantly right now, and pressingly, the West Block, so yes, there is a commitment of a significant amount of money for Parliament Hill. It's fair to say that we're going about it project by project, where the need is most significant.

Government Operations committee  I think the rationale for selling the assets is based on more than a deferred maintenance issue. I think the rationale for it--to be tested by the fairness monitor, once we understand what the proceeds of this potential would be--would be that it's a good bet for the federal government to be selling and leasing back these properties, in part because of maintenance, but also for other considerations as well.

Government Operations committee  Yes, very much so.

Government Operations committee  Tim, I don't know what our funding model looks like.

Government Operations committee  That goes to a deeper layer than my knowledge. I'll ask Tim McGrath, who is the head of our real property branch, to come to the table.

Government Operations committee  That's right. We're now managing to a standard of 18 square metres per employee, as opposed to the previous 21.4 square metres. We're gradually changing this, and we're not doing it in one fell swoop. As groups need to retrofit space or move into new space, we're taking them to the new standard.

Government Operations committee  It's going quite well. Employees are accepting it. We are making up for smaller spaces, in some respects, with nicer furniture that fits the spaces. It's going well, and it is achieving the cost savings. Frankly, now that we're moving to a standardized space of smaller office sizes, and the key is that they're standardized, it allows us the flexibility to move people in government at a much lower cost than previously, when space was more tailored to individual demands.