Public Accounts committee  No, I just want to say thank you.

Public Accounts committee  That's correct.

Public Accounts committee  I would have agreed with Mr. Arès's comments had he been unable to bargain down the price with owners of Place Victoria. It's important to remember that they did lower the price from $430 to $308.

Public Accounts committee  Once the negotiations between Public Works and the owners of Place Victoria were completed, I had to accept the fact that we were going to stay there. I became involved at the end of the process, but I did not take part in the negotiations. That was not my role.

Public Accounts committee  That's correct. There were about 30 of them.

Public Accounts committee  At the time that I was there, as I recall, there were 14 offices across the regions of Quebec.

Public Accounts committee  No. I had no involvement whatsoever in those discussions, because the regional offices are small entities. All the negotiations and discussions took place between managers at my office and Public Works. So, I never encountered that kind of situation.

Public Accounts committee  Yes. I mentioned that I had personally signed a letter agreeing to move to Place Bonaventure.

Public Accounts committee  I told him there could possibly be additional costs. I presented it as a possibility.

Public Accounts committee  I was Chair of the Quebec Federal Council which brings together the administrators of federal departments in Quebec. Consequently, I knew that a number of departments needed office space. I assumed, rightly or wrongly, that a number of those departments could use that accommodati

Public Accounts committee  Mr. Drouin's one and only intervention, as far as I know, was the one dated April 15, 2002. However, your comments seem to refer to the Department of Public Works and to things that occurred prior to that date.

Public Accounts committee  I want to emphasize that I, personally, was never pressured in any way by the owners of Place Victoria or Place Bonaventure, or, for that matter, the Minister of Public Works or staff working at the office of the Minister of Public Works. I was never pressured in any way to do on

Public Accounts committee  Not with me. Never.

Public Accounts committee  Personally, I have never seen that sort of thing.

Public Accounts committee  Yes.