Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Mr. Chairman, I was disappointed that the committee didn't support a quick move to open the office of the ombudsman. I have to admit, in fact, that the recommendation in the committee report caught me by surprise. I had actually expected that we would be discussing how to set the office up and not whether or not the office should, in fact, be set up. I thought that the legislative action paper and its proposal to combine the offices of ombudsman and Access and Privacy Commissioner seemed to present a very cost-effective way to achieve the opening of the office. I had hoped that, in talking about setting up the office, we could spend some time discussing adding a limited advocacy role for children and youth to the office of the ombudsman.

I would point out that the province of British Columbia did this with considerable success. In fact, in BC, they define child advocacy as activities undertaken intended to ensure that the rights, interests and viewpoints of children and youth are carefully considered and fairly represented in all matters that affect them. These advocacy efforts are particularly in relation to public policies and services, and are directed at both individual and systemic issues.

Mr. Chairman, too many young people in the north feel that they have no rights, and feel a real lack of respect from, in particular, government institutions. As the Standing Committee on Legislation noted in their report, with the growth of our government's bureaucracy, there is less and less accountability. Adults often have a hard time having their views heard. For young people, the problem is much more acute.

Right now, Mr. Chairman, service providers often feel that they risk biting the hand that feeds them if they go to bat for a child, because they may be seen as taking on their employer.

Mr. Chairman, as I said, I'm disappointed that we're not talking in detail about how the office could be set up, as a result of the report. What I would like to do is ask the Minister whether there are any plans to pursue setting up this office in his department at this point in time.