What I can say, Ms. Block, is that I anticipated your question. I read with interest the proceedings. I hadn't gotten down as far as that most recent intervention, so I wasn't sure that you had a “no”, and I wasn't sure I wanted to be added to the “yes” list. In fairness, when I read the transcript of Mr. Tromp's response, I think he gave you the answer you wanted to hear, but I think the “yes” really reads more like “no”.
I'd make two points. One is that I think the most significant aspect of the Federal Accountability Act reforms in terms of access to information wasn't the addition of...I think it was 69 new crown agencies, and the extension of the application of the act in that context, partly because, as Mr. Marleau pointed out, by simply expanding the scope of the act in the context that we know, we're just expanding the problems in terms of administration, in terms of delay. So that's something that government and this committee have to be concerned with.
The most significant aspect of the reforms--and I don't think it has really come out in the discussion at the committee to date--was the addition of the duty to assist. I think I really want to give the government credit for that aspect of law reform introduced most recently. Duty to assist is something we don't have in New Brunswick that we think is sorely needed. I think it's the type of reform that's consistent with everything Mr. Marleau was presenting here. It's about getting better results for Canadians in terms of access. It's about addressing concerns about delay. It's getting to the heart of the issue and seeing what information Canadians are after.