I see this as a huge problem. A minister is at the apex of the departmental hierarchy, and to suggest that documents that come and reside in his office or are created in his office in the performance of duty—not political duty but duty as a minister of the crown—would not be accessible under the act is a refutation of the very purpose of the act itself. It's an interpretation given by the Supreme Court with which I have significant difficulty. It can be cured easily, and I think it has to be cured in order to really give true meaning to the act itself. But to have it as it is now provides the tools to bureaucrats who do not wish to have certain documents, certain information records, disclosed. I anticipate that the size of the office of a given ministry will grow over time. It's going to take a up whole floor and the limits and the boundaries will extend. So that has to be corrected, and basically, it lies in your hands here.
On October 20th, 2011. See this statement in context.