Information & Ethics committee  We did look into this matter and didn't find any such evidence of any records. We have logs of discussions with agents, counsel, and representatives of the parties. We don't have any record in those logs of that.

Information & Ethics committee  Sorry?

Information & Ethics committee  You'll allow me to have some reservations. I think those factors are directly related to the definitions and to the concepts that I presented to you earlier this morning. That follows directly from the responsibilities of the official agents, from the definition of what an electoral expense is, from the notion of commercial value, from the notion of transfer and so on.

Information & Ethics committee  It didn't constitute a factor that could rule out the five factors I talked about.

Information & Ethics committee  You're asking me whether I have those manuals in my possession here, today?

Information & Ethics committee  Yes, the manuals exist. They are available on the Elections Canada's website.

Information & Ethics committee  I can't assure you that it's available on the website, but it can be made available.

Information & Ethics committee  Yes.

Information & Ethics committee  I previously answered your colleague's question on that subject. That matter is before the court. It's part of the debate that will be carried on before the Federal Court as to whether candidates could have been misled by the manuals or information forwarded by Elections Canada.

Information & Ethics committee  Again, it's the matter of the transaction surrounding this program that we referred to the commission.

Information & Ethics committee  As to the specific offences, there is a whole range, but these remain, in my mind, highly hypothetical. The commissioner's investigation will determine, at the end of the day, if there was an offence.

Information & Ethics committee  It could have had an impact, but no factor is decisive in itself. You have to consider all factors as a whole.

Information & Ethics committee  At that point, in my mind, that's purely hypothetical for the purposes of my responsibility under the act. I'm not in a position to draw that conclusion. I don't think that Elections Canada has ever stated that it had found that invoices had been offloaded to candidates. Moreover, that's why certain decisions were not made in the matter.

Information & Ethics committee  Based on the information I have before me, I can't know to whom to attribute those expenses. I'm talking about the information that was available in April 2007, at the time I made that decision.

Information & Ethics committee  I concluded that the expenses claimed had not been incurred by the candidates. For me, the regional, local and national issue is not a consideration in this matter.