Government Operations committee  If anybody who has anything to offer by way of insight is willing to speak to me, I would be delighted to hear from them to gain a better understanding as to how all parties to the process are reacting to the process and what they perceive the process to be, including its weaknesses.

Government Operations committee  A proper investigation is a complete investigation. That's why I alluded before to the fact that I don't know yet whether or not one year is a reasonable time period to be able to do that. It's because I don't know all the challenges of the mechanics of the investigations. I think a complete investigation is the best way to do that.

Government Operations committee  Absolutely.

Government Operations committee  I've been following it as best I can, yes.

Government Operations committee  Over the course of my career.... I think you could probably say many things about me, but one of them is that I'm very due process-oriented and very fairness-oriented. Whether one likes or doesn't like the outcome, to me it's very important that everybody's rights be protected. That will never waiver.

Government Operations committee  I've read different briefs. I've read reports. I was, unfortunately, not able to listen to all of the debate on Bill C-290. I regret that—

Government Operations committee  It's my understanding that this office is meant to be a neutral party in the process, and it's my understanding—I mean this with all due respect—that the office shouldn't be in anybody's corner. The office needs to protect everybody's rights. As a former defence lawyer, I'm well aware that sometimes people are not guilty.

Government Operations committee  I'm sorry, but I'm not sure I understood your question.

Government Operations committee  It couldn't hurt. However, since I am not familiar with all of the details of such a situation, I can't make recommendations regarding what laws should be in place. That being said, I don't think additional legal protection could hurt. It could even help the commissioner's office to do what it has to do, knowing that there is a law to strengthen its measures.

Government Operations committee  I can't really say at this point because I do not have enough information about how the commissioner's office is run. However, what I have noticed is that the ability to complete investigations in less than a year seems to pose a challenge for this office. I don't know yet why that is the case.

Government Operations committee  The first people I would consult would be the staff of the commissioner's office because I think that they are in the best position to know what is going on. Next, with their support, I would identify the stakeholders or those who are somehow involved in the office's mandate to get their perspective.

Government Operations committee  Thank you. I would consult the ombudsmen and perhaps those who work in human resources just to get an idea of the trends so that I know how to better meet the needs of the public sector.

Government Operations committee  Of course. I thought you were asking who I would consult first. Obviously, I would consult the experts and look at the best practices of other organizations. I think we can always learn from each other. Obviously, I would not limit my consultations to the two groups I mentioned first.

Government Operations committee  How could I improve that? It is vitally important for the word to get around that if one engages with the office, they will be protected. For word to get around, the office has to perform as it should perform. I must say that it can't be one office alone. The safety that a person might feel has to also emanate from other parts of the organization.

Government Operations committee  Yes, I'm used to working in French. In the Democratic Republic of Congo and in the Central Africa Republic, I worked exclusively in French. I haven't had to do so for some time now because I have been working in English in New York for about seven years. As a result, my French is a bit rusty and I apologize for that, but I'm not at all concerned about my ability to work in French.