Hon. Marc Gold (Government Representative in the Senate): Thank you for your question and for underlining the importance of museums, the artists who are exhibited and those who curate and manage our institutions.

In Ottawa — I won’t compete with Toronto, being a Montrealer — with the wonderful art museums we have here — and, indeed, around this country — we have a jewel and that is the National Gallery of Canada.

With regard to your question and the turmoil surrounding this, I have every confidence in the process that has been put in place and those who are going to be leading the process. I look forward to learning who will take on the important role at the gallery to serve both the artistic community and all Canadians. The process is going to be an open, transparent and fair one with the aim of finding the best and most qualified person to serve our institution and the interests of the National Gallery, as I said, and the communities that it serves.

With regard to the specific criteria, I leave that in the good hands of the search committee and that process in which I have the utmost confidence.