Thank you, Mr. Speaker. My question is in regard to the guidelines that this government has in place to regulate and also enforce that the public purse is being protected, especially when it comes to employees of this government, who basically find themselves in a situation where they receive lucrative contracts, leases, appointment to high stature boards, where they have influence and control over what goes on within this government. In regard to the guidelines, it has been in place since, I believe, December, 1986.
I believe those guidelines were there to protect the public purse, not an individual in regard to what he did or did not do. It was to ensure that there is some continuity in the government that when these people took office, took those portfolios, took the position of Minister, deputy minister, secretary to Cabinet, whatever, that they knew that leaving office there was a certain time period they were restricted for partaking in government.
I would like to ask the Minister of Finance, regarding his comments that he made where he wants to do a review, in regard to an individual that he stated in a report, Mr. Bailey, where he has received several lucrative government contracts; he has been appointed to certain public boards, and also in regard to certain leases in this government and contracts which he has received through RFPs, I would like to ask the Minister exactly, is there a tribunal or a committee which looks at the legalities of protecting the public purse besides Cabinet?