Government Operations committee  Thank you.

Government Operations committee  Thank you for the positive comments. I think that shows the importance we place on your committee, as we are trying to provide you with as much information as possible to help you do the best job you can. Before I yield the floor to my colleague, would like to remind you that we currently all have a quality postal service.

Government Operations committee  Let's go back to the premise. We met with lots of stakeholders. We didn't travel, but we spoke on the phone with La Poste in France, with the U.K., and with others to understand. We understood the complexity of establishing a bank today and the fact that the investment is costly because of regulatory conformity, because of the necessity of sophisticated IT security, and because of the competencies needed.

Government Operations committee  Yes, it's a hub; that's why we call it a “hub”, and we say it keeps the community vibrant. That's why we propose here that it would be interesting if the post office became more than just the post office. Not only could people meet there, but it could be a café. The municipality could have some services there, as well as other businesses—maybe the provincial government, maybe Service Canada, and the banks.

Government Operations committee  Absolutely. The mandate was to assess the financial situation—not to do an audit, but to look into the present situation and to assess a projection for the next 10 years. The second thing was to look at the needs of Canadians. We had to not only consult Canadians but engage Canadians.

Government Operations committee  Thank you, Mr. Chair. It's our pleasure to be here today after four months of intensive work. I'd like to introduce to you the three other members. I'll start with Krystyna Hoeg, who is from Toronto. She is sometimes in St. Andrews, where she has a house as well. She says she's somewhat bipolar.