Government Operations committee  So before April of 2007?

Government Operations committee  There are several components to your question. First of all, I would like to clarify that I have not hired a team of 12 or 13 people. I have the money to do so, but I have hired only a small number of people. We are a team of six; that is what I call the critical mass. These are the people that I would need in order to hear a complaint.

Government Operations committee  You are right, and it is what I should have said. The existence of the tribunal will give employees an incentive to lodge a complaint with the commissioner, who in turn will file the application with us. The tribunal may make an order granting a remedy to the complainant; and may order disciplinary action against persons found to have taken reprisals.

Government Operations committee  Yes, if it was referred to us.

Government Operations committee  No, not quite. You talked about wrongdoing. However, this matter does not come under the purview of the tribunal whatsoever. I do not remember how we say this in French. “agent of Parliament”. I've been told that the term is “officer of Parliament”. Ms. Christiane Ouimet is an officer of Parliament.

Government Operations committee  That is very difficult to determine. This is a new tribunal and a new act; it is therefore really impossible to know how many cases we will have to deal with. We have to make assumptions. For example, we have to expect that there will be fewer cases the first year than there will be the second or third year.

Government Operations committee  Exactly.

Government Operations committee  I was not privy to or not involved in drafting the legislation. One could guess, but I don't think it's my place to say. I was not involved. None of us were actually involved in the drafting of the legislation.

Government Operations committee  No.

Government Operations committee  Yes. I'm going to ask Jean-Charles to elaborate on that, but basically, yes, the law provides for hearings to be public and for the decisions to be made public as well. There are exceptions. Jean-Charles.

Government Operations committee  Again, the complainants will be working closely with their unions. The committee we've established to review the rules of procedure does include representation from the Public Service Alliance of Canada and the Professional Institute of the Public Service. It would be up to them to decide whether they want to.

Government Operations committee  The RCMP is covered by the legislation.

Government Operations committee  They were appointed by order in council.

Government Operations committee  Right.

Government Operations committee  No, I'm not aware of any. The reason for that is there is complete independence between the tribunal and the Public Sector Integrity Commissioner. You would have to ask that question of the commissioner.