There has always been a backlog in immigration. This is nothing new. The difference is in the quantity, really. It's only accumulating.
So in 2002, when they implemented IRPA, there was already a backlog. The then government decided, well, they were no longer going to process the old files, they were going to just start with the new ones. That led to a class action and the government lost.
That's why I think the government has to be really careful how they try to eliminate the current backlog.