Public Safety committee  Again, it's like one of the other questions I had earlier. It's hard to create a definition that fits with every possible scenario. I think it is in the practice of that relationship that the minister has talked about—and that many members have—that relationship over time between

Public Safety committee  Yes. The Prime Minister is free to seek advice, as is any minister.

Public Safety committee  Oh, is that the question you're asking? Ian is the expert, but certainly in the context of a ministerial perspective, the minister will be seeking advice from officials when he is in a dialogue with the committee, or, frankly, with agency heads about what's appropriate informat

Public Safety committee  There is the same requirement for public servants.

Public Safety committee  Then I think it gets interesting in the context that, if information is in the public domain, it gets very complicated. It's hard to give you a precise general response, because what might be in a WikiLeaks leak might be one slice of a broader piece of information. This advice

Public Safety committee  Each of the agencies was briefed and kept informed. I think there was ongoing consultation. There was certainly close consultation...the role I play, or my department plays, in the portfolio, and other partners around town. Ian, would you add anything?

Public Safety committee  No, I don't actually have the definition. I'm sorry, Minister. I have a different section of the act in front of me for different purposes.

Public Safety committee  Partners are aware of our activities and the proposed legislation before Parliament.

Public Safety committee  I'm probably going to regret saying this, but I would put it in the inverse and ask how this committee—this committee of Parliament—would feel about these officials being called before a committee of another country.

Public Safety committee  I do think there's a flow to this.

Public Safety committee  I'm not sure I understand the scenario. The committee wouldn't be in receipt of intelligence any longer...?

Public Safety committee  It's hard to know what you.... Proving the negative is a challenge, so I think it would be a—

Public Safety committee  I think the committee would be free to approach whoever they would want. There would be no extra legal obligation on other countries to respond.

Public Safety committee  As I understand it, and my colleagues might want to intervene here as well, the phrase “special operational information” is actually very precise and it's quite narrow, and it's in the context of having a particular impact on an ongoing operation that is at a critical point, not

Public Safety committee  Yes, but it's the interplay of those issues along with the potential damage. The mere fact that those issues are subject matter that the committee addresses doesn't necessarily preclude those issues from being shared with the committee. I think the question becomes one where a he