Government Operations committee  Without being given the tools we need to do our job, we're impotent as a committee. Having it summarized in that clear language is very useful. Frankly, we need more guys like you on our side to guide us through this morass of public policy and public administration, because we don't actually know those things.

Controlled Drugs and Substances Act  The availability of this drug has an interesting history here in Canada, but what has been very clear is that it is particularly attractive to young people. As we heard from my colleague from the Bloc, even children in elementary schools get access to it. It is cheap. It is cheap to make and therefore is quite accessible on the street.

Government Operations committee  Madam Chair, I would immediately like to propose that our committee...—I hope that is sufficiently clear. Since you cannot have that information, perhaps our committee could come through for you. Could we forward that information to the Parliamentary Budget Officer so that he has the tools to do his work?

Controlled Drugs and Substances Act  The other issue in terms of drugs, since that is the topic we are discussing with respect to prisons, is that there are clear admissions that the prison population is getting illegal drugs into prisons. What is the government doing to prevent these drugs from seeping into our prisons? It should be doing something.

Human Resources committee  We found significant activity and resources being applied to homelessness issues, but there is no provincial homelessness plan with clear goals and objectives. When there are no clear goals or performance targets, accountability for results is missing. How will we know we are successful if we have not identified success?

Human Resources committee  Thank you very much. I apologize if I wasn't clear enough. I'll go with that last point first, if I may. Gaming is something that we do not have at this point in time. We have an ambition to carefully look at that and perhaps at some point in time be involved in the gaming industry.

Government Operations committee  I think that all of those questions come down to this one, if I can put it that way, Madam Chair, namely whether we are issuing extremely specific and clear guidelines to ensure that the freeze on operating budgets is managed the same way everywhere. Indeed, departments and deputy ministers manage their operation budgets based on a series of rules and guidelines which are issued by the Treasury Board and the Treasury Board Secretariat.

Government Operations committee  On the ability of deputy ministers to share information and be able to make decisions in full knowledge of what they are doing in other organizations, we do that effectively on a regular basis, without having to impose guidelines and strict rules. Again, the whole trend we have been undertaking for at least a few years now is to be clear about the responsibilities the deputy ministers have in managing their organizations. It is well within their areas of responsibility to do so, and they do not need rules and specific guidelines from us to tell them how to do it.

Government Operations committee  Thank you. Madam d'Auray, if it's possible, can you give us some indicators? It's clear you have that information. You've been helpful enough to tell us in broad strokes the divisions between labour and other. Out of the non-labour component, assuming that it's all subject to the 1.5%, on the other part, how much of it do you see as flexible and how much of it is not flexible?

Fisheries committee  For example, in an area where there are no farm fish one year, we'll count the number of lice on young fish, and then when they put the farm fish back, we count the lice on the young fish. And the pattern is really clear. If you take the farm fish out, the lice go away. If you drug the farm fish--so you're killing the lice on the farm fish--the lice go away on the wild fish. When you put the farm fish back, the lice come back.

Status of Women committee  An audit should assess harassment, drugs and alcohol, violence, sanitation, graffiti, etc. Once a clear and current picture emerges, policies and procedures can be designed to improve the environment. There is no point in engaging in a huge recruitment process without simultaneously improving the environment.

Status of Women committee  We're going to start with the International Longshore and Warehouse Union Canada and Tom Dufresne. Oh, I'm sorry. This is one group. Let me get this clear. Tom, would you prefer to have Ms. O'Donnell do the presentation or will you share it?

Afghanistan  Mr. Speaker, I can only say again that the government has been very clear. Canada's military mission will end in 2011. Officials are now considering and examining Canada's potential and non-military role post-2011. I would remind the member opposite that we encourage the members of the special committee on Afghanistan to study Canada's potential role in Afghanistan post-2011.

Afghanistan  Speaker, I would remind my colleague on the other side of the House that the Prime Minister has spoken any number of times with the President and with the Secretary of State and made it very clear that this Parliament decided that Canada's military mission in Afghanistan will end in March 2011.

Lobbying  Mr. Speaker, it is clear that the Liberals do not want to allow any independent authority to look at anything because they can make the allegations and then determine guilt or innocence. If the member opposite has any concerns that anyone has broken the law, I would encourage her to raise them with the relevant authorities.