Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I realize that there are times when reviews are necessary. I just want to make sure the Minister knows what it is he is trying to get at. I do not want this review to be a means to delay the need to deal with something that needs to be done right away.
I would also like to encourage the Minister to work with the federal government. I do not know what can be done there to get more funding, but I really do not believe there is a lot of fat there to cut in terms of the legal services people get under legal aid. It is a lot of money being spent already, but when you are sitting on the receiving end, it is not a very luxurious legal service you get for the hours the lawyers get to work on these.
Mr. Chairman, I have one more question and that has to do with a question that Mr. Miltenberger asked earlier regarding the notice that went out stating that there will be no further discretionary funding in the legal aid files. I think it went out in January, which was three months before the end of the fiscal year. The deputy minister indicated earlier in answering questions that this was above and beyond the hours already allocated on the regulations. I would think we could think of a lot of examples where because of the allotted time the lawyers have to work on a file are so few to start with, it is not too hard to get over that, especially because every case is different. If you come up against anything unique, chances are many files will require contingency or discretionary funding.
My question is whether or not the department knows the impact of cutting out discretionary funding in such a way and also what is the department planning on doing to avoid the situation from happening for funding next year? I am not sure when he is expecting to have the review ready. I do not know if next year's budget will incorporate whatever he finds out from the review. I am sorry for the number of questions there. Thank you.