My first comment will be that the rule does not make a lot of sense. I think that former public officer holders need to be careful, when they go back to working outside government, that they don't take advantage of information or contacts they've obtained to then further their own private interests or that of the company. There is a purpose for that rule in the ethics world.
The law as written right now says that it is five years. We get requests for exemptions, but the law right now is written as if someone were a student, very short-term, only doing administrative duties. It's extremely limited as to how I can apply this exemption.
I don't set the rule. The rule is five years.
Whether or not it's the will of Parliament to reduce the five years or give permission to the commissioner to reduce the five years—because right now, the way the law is written I would not be permitted to reduce the five years—is something the committee can look into, absolutely.