Yes, it's almost two years that I've been here. I arrived July 1, 2008. Shortly after that, in fact after the 2008 election, Accountable Government was reissued. It addresses these principles, addresses the Access to Information Act, and it addresses the requirement that political staff members not instruct public servants in the exercise of their authority.
More recently I have communicated fairly extensively with members of the political staff, both in my own office, the Prime Minister's Office, and in ministers' offices. I wrote on February 9 to chiefs of staff reminding them of their obligations, and their staff's obligations, and the restrictions placed on them under the Access to Information Act. I wrote to the Prime Minister's Office staff members on February 12 of this year. I wrote again to chiefs of staff on February 12 on this issue.
I said I made a presentation--I'm not sure if I said it was on February 12, but on February 12 I appeared before the regular meeting of issues management staff in ministers' offices and reminded them of their obligations under the act. I reminded them of the provisions of Accountable Government, I reminded them of the provisions of section 67.1 of the Access to Information Act. Then in March I wrote again to the ministers' chiefs of staff and asked them again to confirm these principles, these expectations, with members of their staff and asked them to give me a written record of the communications within their offices.