It's been my experience over the years in which I've been involved in access to information, including of course directly here in British Columbia, that you can have the best designed access to information legislation possible, but quite bluntly these things cost money. We have to recognize that access to information, as I said, is a key foundation stone for openness and accountability. These laws and the rights they mean to protect and advance are absolutely indispensable in our democratic system of governance, so investment in that area is critical, but I think it's also well justified, because of course we invest in other aspects of our democratic system, including elections and so on.
So I would argue that access to information merits the investment of public funds. That is quite frankly the bottom line here. We do see from experience across Canada that as well designed as your law might be, the commitment at a bureaucratic and program level beginning at the top, at the political leadership level, but also at the senior bureaucratic level, is indispensable to making sure these laws work well and there is timely and full access to information.
The one other point I would make in response is that the design of the law is of course important, as the member has correctly pointed out. Monsieur Marleau's recommendation around cabinet confidences is key. Other substantive aspects of these laws can be critical as well. Public interest overrides have already been mentioned, to allow disclosure where there's a public safety or public health threat.
Again, it's a mix of proper, substantive sets of rules, but also that commitment at the program and operational level as well, which is of course indispensable in any legislative regime.