Mr. Rob Wright:

No. It is clear in the report. We stated there was a body of advice. It is so easy to say this from now. If, when I was the head of a department in Canada, we would get an auditor general report on something and people would pick up on one or two observations but they were not there when it happened, I would get my back up. Saying it that bluntly, people who were there at the time were overwhelmed by a whole set of issues.

But, objectively speaking, this report, which is not my advice but is the panel's advice, is very clear that although advice existed, it should have been better. It should have been clearer. It should have evolved over time to be more focused. They should have looked at alternative ways to make that advice known, and it should have been written. It should have been known in the Department that advice existed and there was a broader engagement for the whole Department in championing that advice.