Health committee  I hope I didn't mislead the honourable member by suggesting--

Health committee  We started conversations back in the spring, which were initiated by a board member indicating that we hadn't kept our commitment in terms of transparency relative to providing those who are interested in our activities with a reporting of what we were doing as a board. This went on for a period of time.

Health committee  My response to the honourable member is that I did not want to paint a picture that the activities of the board did not generate spirited debate. Right from 1989, this has been a very emotional issue, and the emotions in this issue continue today. It's 21 years since Canada began down the road to have a regulated service on assisted human reproduction.

Health committee  I didn't want to suggest to the honourable member that the debates aren't spirited. What I did perhaps hope to impart to the committee was the importance of board members...to know how to deal with consensus, because the board obviously has to find a way to bring its members together when they begin with different opinions, and to allow them to end up with a consensus.

Health committee  All of us, as board members, consider being on the board a privilege. However, when you're on a board that deals with criminal law, which our board does, one has to be very careful that the board members, in their other activities, do not engage in activities that would undermine their effectiveness as a board member.

Health committee  First of all, we have two offices, and Dr. Wilson has responsibilities in both. One is in Vancouver and one is in Ottawa. So one should not be surprised that she travels back and forth from Vancouver to Halifax.

Health committee  Dr. Wilson works out of both offices. What I am concerned about is that the work that she is required to do in both offices is being done, and I feel that is the case. It would be nice to be able to eliminate the travel. On the other hand, an order in council has declared that we have to run the two offices.

Health committee  I presume you're talking about an ATI, an access to information.

Health committee  Perhaps Dr. Wilson can answer that better, because the board does not deal with those logistical issues in terms of providing information. That is the agency's responsibility.

Health committee  With the resignation of Ms. Ryll, there is no patient representative.

Health committee  The discussions around this suggested very strongly that we would like our mandate to be confirmed. We are in a state of limbo right now. You made reference to the fact there's been turnover of staff. In many cases, that's directly in response to the uncertainty surrounding the agency now.

Health committee  No, not on that matter.

Health committee  No.

Health committee  When I learned of the resignations, I had conversations with the board members. In the first instance, because it was over two days before I received the resignation letter, the time for a conversation on reconsidering the resignation had passed. I did have those conversations with Barbara Slater.

Health committee  Not in this context, other than the fact that all board members took very seriously the issues around the resignations. In two of the instances, the information was there. In the instance of Dr. Baylis, she did not indicate to me verbally or in her resignation letter why she resigned.