I think as previous witnesses have testified, if we want to adhere to the act, meet the deadlines and so forth—which we all do, as that is our objective—with the huge increase in the number of requests for access to information or action on privacy, the problem, frankly, is finding trained resources to deal with them. As I think my officials have explained on previous occasions, there's a huge problem in finding trained people. Every other government department is facing the same major increase. The delays are caused by processing. It's a simple fact that you cannot process this number of requests within the timeframes allowed in the act, even with the best will.
There's another issue, of course, and it's related. Not only do you have the 17 or so officials in my department responsible for the handling of the ATIP requests, but there are also all of those people who are working in the offices of principal interest who have to put aside their daily work to deal with a request for a document that they are responsible for. They do their very best as well. They are called in many different directions during the course of the day. It's not their primary job. I emphasize in meetings with my senior managers that ATIP requests are to be given top priority, but even with the best of will there are delays.
It certainly is my intention, which I was able to do as deputy of agriculture, to get the ATIP requests back into line with what I would call an A grade from the Information Commissioner. That's my objective—an A grade from the Information Commissioner. With continuing work, much of which has already begun by my ATIP section, I'm hopeful we can get there in the next year or so.