Gone private

Let's take note of one point from yesterday's Handard which doesn't seem to have attracted much attention: Lib MP Navdeep Bains' observation that the Cons decided to farm out their NAFTA scandal investigation to the private sector:

Last Thursday we learned that the Privy Council Office outsourced the investigation of sensitive diplomatic leaks to BMCI Investigations & Security Ltd. of Ottawa, a private company. Yet, the government never said a word about this decision.

If the government is incapable of conducting its own investigation, why did the Prime Minister not say so when he announced it in the House? Why was a private company chosen and, more important, what is its mandate?

Bains points out one question which deserves plenty of followup, which is what exactly BMCI was asked to do. But I'm equally curious as to what the farmout does to the results of the investigation: will the involve of a private third party be used as an excuse to keep the final report and (particularly) any explanation about the investigative methods out of the public eye?