Government Operations committee  Yes, a large number of computers now are manufactured in Asia, so it's that kind of procurement, but it's very typically going to Canadian companies that may, in fact, source them outside.

Government Operations committee  No, I must say that we don't, because it would require us to decompose everything we buy, but we do make sure that we comply with international trade agreements. On all major procurements there are interdepartmental consultations to try to ensure that Canadian companies get their share.

Public Accounts committee  The final deal at Place Victoria. No, I think he might have.... Mr. Arès, do you want to answer this question?

Public Accounts committee  Mr. Christopherson, I am really at a loss to understand what is going on with this document. I'm not sure. I think if you looked at the French version, it is indeed complete, as far as I can see.

Public Accounts committee  So in that sense I don't--

Public Accounts committee  No. Mr. Arès should answer, because--

Public Accounts committee  It's my understanding that once he learned that there was a better rate at Place Victoria--

Public Accounts committee  Yes, sorry, and what was your question again?

Public Accounts committee  You would like an undertaking to know if they are accessible?

Public Accounts committee  Yes, Mr. Fitzpatrick, at the time when we were here before you on June 8, I was going on the basis that if the requirements were the same, it would be cheaper for them to move. That's what our analysis showed at the time, but then there was a new requirement, and when you looked at the new requirement, the analysis showed that it would be cheaper for them to stay where they were if you could backfill the other property.

Public Accounts committee  I believe there would be, yes. Tim.

Public Accounts committee  The actual moving costs, I believe, would be about $200,000 or $300,000, but then there would be a need to fit up the new place with information technology, furniture, and so forth, and that cost would be about something like $2.5 million, $2 million to $2.3 million.

Public Accounts committee  Mr. Fitzpatrick, unfortunately it's not clear. That's what I want to say.

Public Accounts committee  Mr. Chairman, I really do feel that, in the interests of understanding exactly what happened, it's very important for committee members to go forward in time from the memo Mr. Arès wrote, because he wrote it at a point in time, and that's what he believed and he wrote that. It may interest you to know that Mr.

Public Accounts committee  The question about how you would assess a cost versus another has to be understood as to whether you're looking at Place Victoria or Place Bonaventure. Had they come to us right at the start and said, “We don't need more space, we don't need a fit-up”, we would have looked at their situation and said, “Look, if we can renegotiate a good price where you are, it's going to be less expensive to leave you there”.