Finance committee  We look at the data that exists, and there are three sources of data. One is the CFIB, one is the Conference Board, and the other is StatsCan. We use the Conference Board data as the main data source, and then CFIB as a supporting database.

Finance committee  Very much so, actually.

Finance committee  That's a puzzle to us, actually, because their data does not really support that conclusion. Actually, our report was reviewed by the chief economist of CFIB, and they didn't really have any issues with our methodology, our approach, or our conclusions. I'm sort of puzzled in th

Finance committee  Sure. We look at every study that is relevant to our work. In fact, our analysts continuously review the literature, the recent literature, and recent studies by other organizations. We have really no bias in terms of whose study is better than the others. We look at the methodol

Finance committee  If somebody actually understands the principles of how the economic system works, and C.D. Howe would be—

Finance committee  Well—

Finance committee  In that sense, when government is spending, government consumption is part of the national GDP.

Finance committee  There is no ideology here. This is my training, our training, as economists, and the experience that we have had over 30 years working in this area which leads to our conclusions, and the studies. There is no ideology at all.

Human Resources committee  Thank you very much. I have a couple of things. The survey was conducted in 2011. So, even if it is released it will only show the situation in 2011. It's not a continuing survey. The design of the survey, actually, is very good in terms of the kind of data that we need to asses

Human Resources committee  I can't really, because I don't really know exactly what's behind that. One of the things that we have said publicly is that to have an effective program—whether it's the temporary foreign workers or job grants, or any other kind of program that affects the labour market—you need

Human Resources committee  If we need national data, and that is what we need for the labour market, we have a national statistical agency. They are very good at what they are doing. They have a very good international reputation. So really, the focus should be on Statistics Canada and how they can collect

Human Resources committee  Do you mean the money on the job grant, or...?

Human Resources committee  No, we have not done any studies on that.

Human Resources committee  In general with the transfer, I don't think there are many links, actually. The money is transferred to the provinces and they normally spend it as they wish, whether it's for the health program or educational or social programs or equalization. Health is a little bit different k

Human Resources committee  In the case of the kind of data I mentioned, they get information for different occupations in different parts of the country. You can drill down to detail, for example, on chefs in one city in Saskatchewan or in Alberta—to whether there are enough chefs there or whether there is