Public Accounts committee  Indeed.

Public Accounts committee  First, I have to say it was an honour. It was an honour to be considered by both houses to be Canada's first Public Sector Integrity Commissioner. I looked at the legislation. I saw how complicated it was. The very nature of the legislation lends itself to a lot of complicated legal arguments, but as well it goes to the heart of your public institutions.

Public Accounts committee  I apologize, Mr. Chair. Essentially, I was asked what my priorities were. I had prepared a statement and those priorities never changed: education, so that people know that we exist--and that is, in large part, part of the question Madame Faille was asking. People didn't know we existed.

Public Accounts committee  Yes, indeed.

Public Accounts committee  Yes, indeed. I apologize if I'm not clear. Yes, I did. In that opening statement I set out the priorities that I saw were important as a new agent of Parliament. Then I did appear before the Senate, and I had some direction and guidance from the Senate with respect to the mandate.

Public Accounts committee  None whatsoever.

Public Accounts committee  I asked to appear before the Senate committee, the finance committee, and the operations committee. I met as well with each chair. I must have appeared at least half a dozen times.

Public Accounts committee  Absolutely.

Public Accounts committee  I reported to Parliament through my annual report, which tells the story of the challenges of my organization, and through the Report on Plans and Priorities. In addition, I tried to reach out to parliamentarians at every opportunity.

Public Accounts committee  It was the operations committee. I think I appeared once before the ethics committee.

Public Accounts committee  I am told, and I've been told repeatedly, that this was a very special audit, unprecedented.

Public Accounts committee  Can I read you a note? It's been going on since September 2, 2009. I wrote to the Deputy Auditor General: With respect to a future interview, I was informed for the first time last week that I would not have access to specific allegations. It is September. I still don't know about the allegations against me.

Public Accounts committee  This is a non-negotiable offer.

Public Accounts committee  No. I was never part of any meeting. Everything was done through counsel, and I have to say that I was very surprised. I sincerely thought I could continue to make a contribution, like I had done in my 28 years. Sir, I've never...this is part of who I am. It is also part of every member of the team that has worked with me, the majority of whom worked for between a year and three years, as opposed to a handful of discontented employees who worked merely a few weeks or a few months.

Public Accounts committee  It was my lawyer who phoned me and said, I just got the call and there is going to be a non-negotiable offer coming.