National Defence committee  I appreciate the question, and I apologize if I am using acronyms randomly or too frequently. The Privy Council Office is, effectively, the department for the Prime Minister. Our responsibilities are to support the cabinet decision-making process that supports our system of gove

National Defence committee  That is an important principle of Westminster government. The elected representatives do not carry out investigations, and manage the details of those kinds of things, because they are elected. The separation of their role from the independent and non-partisan public service is i

National Defence committee  Thank you for that question. It's enormous, but I thank you. It raises very important issues. We know that change management is difficult in any context, and culture change in particular is challenging. My work in terms of the other part of my job, public service renewal, is ve

National Defence committee  Yes.

National Defence committee  I think you have seen that I did speak with individuals from the minister's office and I have confirmed that I did speak with individuals in the Prime Minister's Office.

National Defence committee  I think what I might do is just give a bit of an explanation of the process.

National Defence committee  It comes about through the annual performance management program of which the CDS is one of the GICs to whom that applies. I can clarify that at the time the CDS was appointed, his salary was fixed at what we call the DM2 range. His salary is within the same compensation structu

National Defence committee  No, they don't happen automatically. It is through the performance management program where—

National Defence committee  The defence minister is consulted in terms of the performance management program for GIC appointees.

National Defence committee  He would not make that decision himself.

National Defence committee  The minister is consulted in the annual performance management program in respect to GIC appointees within his portfolio. I would like to clarify, though, just because I think this question has come up, my responsibilities in terms of managing GIC appointees throughout their ten

National Defence committee  The salary increases, as I mentioned, in terms of from one level to the next economic increase and movement inside a salary range, are approved by the Governor in Council. That Governor in Council approval is basically, as you will have heard, the Governor General approving on th

National Defence committee  I think there are a couple of elements to that. You've positioned it as if I came across it. In that context, if I did come across specific information that related to a Governor in Council appointee, that raised those kinds of concerns, I would speak with the Clerk in terms of h

National Defence committee  I think that would depend on the situation, the context and the specifics. It may be something that we would speak about together with the Clerk. It would really depend on the specific situation.

National Defence committee  I can only speak for myself in that respect and I did not speak with the national security adviser. I want to clarify that I didn't have specific information. The ombudsman had that specific information—about an allegation.