Thank you,
Mr.
Chairman. I appreciate the Member’s
comments.
The issue and concern about the appeal process has been identified clearly by the Member as well as by the Office of the Auditor General. It’s been built into our framework for action. We’re planning on having a process ready that we can bring forward as we gather here in the fall.
Clearly, we have a number of other things to look at. Arrears, as the Member’s indicated, has been identified. We are doing an analysis of these arrears — some of them are quite dated — to take a look on a case-by-case basis to see how much, in fact, of that amount of money — $8 million, roughly — of rental arrears would be collectible, given whatever statutes of limitations may be there or whatever other legal impediments may be there to collect it.
While we’re not looking at an amnesty — as the Member’s indicated, a diamond jubilee approach — clearly, we are going to go through the amount owing. Just by that review, we’re going to come to a number that we think will tell us what is collectible given the age of some of the debt.
So we will be coming forward this fall with an appeal process. As we work through the list of arrears, we’re going to be coming forward to committee with that as well to show the dates and what we think is collectible in our opinion.