Citizenship and Immigration committee  I'm at a bit of a disadvantage, because I worked under that regime for...well, I came in 2002, so I worked about a year under the previous format. The advisory committee to the minister did the interviews through some criteria, and there was a test. That came to a final group chaired by Mr.

Citizenship and Immigration committee  You are right, the second person stopped hearing cases until the completion of investigations.

Citizenship and Immigration committee  If this person wanted to return to the board, they would have to go through the selection process.

Citizenship and Immigration committee  You are right.

Citizenship and Immigration committee  The nine competencies form a basis for the recruitment process and were established by the commissioners themselves with the support from a human resources firm. We wanted to determine whether or not the individuals that had been recruited had the required skills. Commissioners took part in this exercise, which was approved by management.

Citizenship and Immigration committee  Allow me to finish...

Citizenship and Immigration committee  All commissioners had to be assessed as to these nine competencies over a six-month period. When I recommend to the minister that someone be reappointed, I do so based on these nine criteria. The reasons for which individuals do not get reappointed is not within the chairperson's purview.

Citizenship and Immigration committee  You are right, but that has only been the case for the last fifteen years, ever since we have orders in council appointments.

Citizenship and Immigration committee  Let me be quite clear. Every member I recommend who is already in place is evaluated against the same nine competencies. There's a performance evaluation that I provide to the minister when I recommend favourably and that I provide to the minister when I recommend unfavourably.

Citizenship and Immigration committee  No.

Citizenship and Immigration committee  Again, I'm going to go from memory. I think Mr. Bourbonnais was a ten-year member. I'm looking at a former member, so I'm sorry.

Citizenship and Immigration committee  There was the ministerial advisory committee, and a test was administered. The first chair of this advisory committee was Mr. Fairweather. The second chair was Mr. Poulin. Every member on the ministerial advisory committee was appointed by the minister--it wasn't ours--at that time, and they also conducted the interview.

Citizenship and Immigration committee  I have a bias. I really believe in what we do. What's the major difference? Well, it's not an advisory committee of the minister. The people who conduct the interviews are people who do the work every day, who understand the pressures, the issues and the requirements. I find that at the end of the day I come in front of you and I'm accountable for the performance of that board.

Citizenship and Immigration committee  There's no doubt it's a golden bar that we've put in.

Citizenship and Immigration committee  Mr. Bourbonnais would have been appointed when there was no process.