Government Operations committee  The 12 complaints are all the complaints being handled.

Government Operations committee  We do other things than the public market.

Government Operations committee  I can answer that question--

Government Operations committee  Yes, and the agreement on government procurement provides for reciprocal treatment, so Canadian suppliers in those countries that are parties to the agreement on government procurement may also challenge procurement practices in those countries.

Government Operations committee  It's 10 days after they've learned that they haven't won the contract.

Government Operations committee  You can come with or without a lawyer. Since there's usually no hearing, and the process involves submitting documents, it's hard to state a specific amount.

Government Operations committee  Yes. As I said, we try to resolve our cases within 90 days. So we've already resolved some cases this year.

Government Operations committee  As far as possible. It's not like a decision by a superior tribunal, that the government must accept. We make recommendations.

Government Operations committee  I can't really speak to that. Again, I deal with what comes to the CITT--

Government Operations committee  I can't in my capacity as vice-chair of the CITT.

Government Operations committee  No, we operate on the basis of domestic legislation, which refers back to the international agreements. There's a CITT Act.

Government Operations committee  Yes, it was, but unlike the WTO agreements, which apply to all WTO members--and I think they are now in the order of 150 members--a country has to decide that it wants to become a party to the agreement on government procurement. So there are significantly fewer than 150 members.

Government Operations committee  No.

Government Operations committee  No, not quite. On the basis of what we've sent the complainant, we decide first whether we can say there is a problem. If we decide there is one, we send the complaint to the department involved. If we decide there isn't one, if the 10 days have elapsed, or if the complaint comes

Government Operations committee  Well, it covers the obligations that are found originally in the Canada-U.S. Free Trade Agreement, now subsumed by the NAFTA, the World Trade Organization's Agreement on Government Procurement, and the Agreement on Internal Trade, which is not an international agreement.