Mr. Chairman, these are public funds that are being spent on behalf of this government. This is the only avenue that we have to question the Minister responsible for Finance on expenditures by this government. These are public funds. In several areas we see funds going for the same initiative in the questions I asked him. I personally believe we are here representing the public interest. Other people within the public do not have the same advantage as this organization to have use of public funds.
We talk about negotiated contracts and about sole-source contracting. We talk about the whole thing about contracting initiatives in this government and to be open to the public. Now you are telling me on one hand you have a society out there that is going to be spending these dollars on behalf of this organization, and you are saying you do not want to answer the question.
I, for one, would like to ask the Minister, will he answer these questions? If not, what are we doing here?