I'm going to talk about the issue of documents relating to ministerial offices.
In 2011, the Supreme Court of Canada decided in Canada (Information Commissioner) v. Canada (Minister of National Defence) that since ministerial offices did not appear in Schedule I of the act, they were not subject to it.
I think this is a significant breach. I think other stakeholders have also mentioned this to you. It's a very significant breach in the act because communications between a minister's office and a federal institution under the minister's supervision are not impermeable. Communications, documents and information in some way frequently travel between the structure of the federal institution itself, which is subject to the act, and the ministerial office, which is not.
I would propose that ministerial offices be subject to the Access to Information Act moving forward, especially since section 21 sets out an exemption for consultations, deliberations and information specific to ministers, and section 69 of the act provides an exemption that specifically targets Privy Council documents, which also includes certain documents of the minister. This section is extremely well detailed and already amply protects sensitive documents and information. Therefore, they can include ministerial documents.
Therefore, I'll repeat that I think ministerial offices should be included in Schedule I of the act, so that all documents are subject to it, even if other more specific exceptions are subsequently provided.
I will turn things over to my colleague, who will conclude by addressing the last issue.