It's interesting to note that, over the past six years, access requests have increased by 215%.
Our office saw a 25% increase in the number of complaints last year alone. We started the year with 3,495 complaints in the inventory, and we would like to do exactly what you are suggesting.
Currently, people have to wait about seven months before a complaint is assigned to an investigator. I therefore recommended that we create two teams, one to handle incoming complaints and the other to deal with outstanding complaints. We are working at both ends in an effort to climb Mount Everest, so to speak. I think that, if we are able to speak with the individual as soon as we receive their complaint, we will have a much easier time finding the information they are really looking for and endeavouring to meet their needs immediately by supplying the relevant information from the outset.
Of course, we have some very old files and some very big files. Rather than concentrating on the number of complaints, I would prefer to focus on how our investigators approach their work and interact with institutions. No one wants to touch the big files because those are the ones that are avoided when the primary focus is always on quantity.
Going forward, then, we are really going to be focusing on investigation quality and institutional co-operation. In order to close a file, I won't hesitate to issue orders under the new legislation, or recommendations under the current act, if an agreement clearly cannot be reached.