Public Accounts committee  Mr. Chair, if the question is why we are protecting cabinet confidence, it's a legal requirement—

Public Accounts committee  I can't speak to the specific program. I can say in general that we do not have specific rules for the release of different programs. We apply—

Public Accounts committee  I can speak to the cabinet confidence issue—

Public Accounts committee  I can't speak to the specifics of the program. That's an ISED program.

Public Accounts committee  Mr. Chair, if I can maybe just back it up a little bit to explain my role in the system, I think that will clarify how the Privy Council Office fits in. I have a responsibility to help manage collective decision-making through the cabinet process. We provide advice to the Prime Minister, but we do not take over individual ministers' line responsibilities and accountabilities.

Public Accounts committee  Mr. Chair, I assure you that all proposals coming through the cabinet process meet strict criteria in terms of considerations. We don't use that specific terminology, but we have a very detailed set of considerations.

Public Accounts committee  I have a great deal of confidence in the internal process to ensure that all factors that go into collective decision-making are there. The report of the commissioner, which I respect—and we have agreed with the recommendations—is about our trying to improve our processes and bring greater clarity on accountabilities, and we have moved forward with an integrated climate lens, which is something that's part of a cabinet directive that has been publicly released.

Public Accounts committee  We worked with the commissioner on this recommendation. We agree that there is space to clarify accountabilities. We are going through a process to review those. It's actually an ongoing process at any given point in the work to make sure that ministerial accountabilities are clear.

Public Accounts committee  As we go through the process—for example, with ministerial mandate letters—we track very closely the responsibilities and the commitments that have been asked of ministers. As the PCO, we closely keep track of initiatives that are moving forward when timelines have been put in budgets or in policy documents.

Public Accounts committee  I can't speak for the British system. It's something the commissioner flagged and it's something we agreed, through the process, to look at. I'm working with my colleagues in the machinery of government part of the Privy Council Office on that. I wouldn't prejudge the outcome of their deliberations, but certainly, there are different models in different governments, and we often look at how the U.K. is doing things, given that the nature of its system is so closely mirrored by ours.

Public Accounts committee  Thank you, Mr. Chair. Thank you for giving me the opportunity to speak to you today. I would also like to point out that this meeting is taking place on the unceded traditional territory of the Algonquin Anishinabe nation. The commissioner of the environment and sustainable development has a critical role under the Canadian Net-Zero Emissions Accountability Act in examining and reporting on the government's implementations of emissions reduction actions.