Agriculture committee  What was the question again?

Agriculture committee  It is my responsibility to defend them. We don't defend all cases, but that's the role.

Agriculture committee  There are some cases where we have conversations with members and say, “Look, we cannot in all honesty defend this.”

Agriculture committee  That cabinet has dealt with this?

Agriculture committee  I don't know.

Agriculture committee  They would never come without the absolute guarantee that they will not be terminated if they speak out and answer your questions honestly, as the professionals they are.

Agriculture committee  I don't think the situation that Mr. Pomerleau has faced is covered by the whistle-blower legislation, because he didn't blow the whistle; he asked his union for advice. This was not an attempt at blowing the whistle on CFIA. This was, “Hey guys, look at this. What do we do? What are the impacts of this document, and are there any workforce adjustment potentials here?

Agriculture committee  I'll answer your question with a question. Why would this public service hire subject matter experts to conduct the operations and deliver the programs of the public service if those people are muzzled and can't speak out? What happened to freedom of speech?

Agriculture committee  I can't answer that question; I don't have an answer for that. I think there is a lot that needs to be made public with respect to the proposals of the CFIA that were approved by the Treasury Board. Without all of you having that document in front of you to make a determination on what the next steps are and without hearing witnesses about the implications of the changes that are proposed, you can't do your work on that particular topic.

Agriculture committee  They do their best.

Agriculture committee  No.

Agriculture committee  No.

Agriculture committee  Mr. Easter didn't contact me; it was the clerk who contacted my communications person to see if I was available today.

Agriculture committee  Not at all, because this man did not blow the whistle; this man asked his union for advice.

Agriculture committee  I certainly think it would be in the public interest for the people around this table to have access to this document in order to have an enlightened discussion and give direction to the Government of Canada. I just want to qualify some of what you said, Mr. Dewar, in that I don't know that any of the changes that are in the document have been implemented already.