Government Operations committee  Are you talking about the acquisition of military materiel as such or about the information technologies supporting the military field?

Government Operations committee  The contract award notice process is an exceptional process. I wouldn't want you to believe that a lot of contracts are awarded that way; that's false. A few military contracts have been let by contract award notice. Fortunately, National Defence had clearly identified the type of materiel it required.

Government Operations committee  That's an excellent question. First, I want to reassure you. It is absolutely out of the question—this is not our intention—for the government to grant all information technology service contracts to a single company. Someone will correct me if I am wrong, but the government's information technology expenditures, across government, represent nearly $5 billion.

Government Operations committee  My thoughts on this, Mr. Holland, haven't changed that much. My focus is mostly on office buildings, not on the entire real estate portfolio, which as you know goes beyond Public Works. There are tens of thousands of buildings that we own, if you add DND and all sorts of other agencies and departments.

Government Operations committee  I know you're not trying to be partisan here. I've never been quite sure what your beef was on the sale. The timing was superb. You'll tell me there was a lot of luck in this, but I pushed this as quickly as I could because I just knew the real estate markets wouldn't remain as vibrant and as dynamic as they had been for several years.

Government Operations committee  I am not having any such discussions.

Government Operations committee  The increase on the real estate side?

Government Operations committee  I'll ask Mr. McGrath to answer that question.

Government Operations committee  To reassure you on the parliamentary precinct, because you are indirectly referring to that, moneys have been allocated, and as you know, this is going to be a long-term project. It began way before I showed up. But work will get done, likely after I've departed, but work will get done and moneys have been set aside for that, Mr.

Government Operations committee  Thank you very much, Ms. Marleau. Good morning, ladies and gentlemen. I'm very happy to be here to discuss our main estimates and whatever other topics the committee would wish to discuss with respect to Public Works. I am accompanied by my deputy minister, François Guimont, and two of his departmental officers, Tim McGrath, who handles real property, and Mike Hawkes, Chief Financial Officer.

Government Operations committee  What is the question?

Government Operations committee  They were going to meet Mr. Soudas at his office to discuss—

Government Operations committee  They were going over to Mr. Soudas' office to discuss the file.

Government Operations committee  You won't.

Government Operations committee  I understand that he's made it very clear that his inquiries originated from the fact that he was being asked by folks in Montreal.