Information & Ethics Committee on May 4th, 2017

[Suzanne Legault]

That is correct.

[Pat Kelly, Conservative, Calgary Rocky Ridge, AB]

That's disappointing.

Well, let's move on. We've been through much of this already, and I share your frustration and disappointment over the broken promise on reform. With the 32 recommendations, which substantially embody the 85 that you made, having been handed to the government with approval from all parties here, that is disappointing.

I'm going to move to a topic that we haven't brought up today, and that is successor planning. You are approaching the end of your time as commissioner.

[Suzanne Legault]

Yes.

[Pat Kelly, Conservative, Calgary Rocky Ridge, AB]

What successor planning has taken place so far, if any?

[Suzanne Legault]

First of all, I did make it clear to the government that if it needs me to stay until it finds someone else, I'm prepared to do that, so that's fine. I'm expecting that will happen, so I think we're looking at that being until at least December. The notice for my position has not been posted yet, but I'm expecting it to be planned soon. Essentially I think the situation is that we have a few months ahead of us.

Second, the OIC is now, I would say, a very stable organization. As I said, when I arrived, we had no Internet; we had no financial systems; we had none of this governance in place. Now all of that is in place, so that's very stable. The senior management team, under Layla Michaud, has been there for several years now, along with my senior counsel, who couldn't be here today, so that's very well anchored.

Now we are doing a couple of things to ensure ongoing stability in terms of investigations. One thing I had delayed doing, because I was waiting for amendments, was a code of procedure for the investigative function, which would act as an anchor for the organization, but also for institutions dealing with our offices. It would provide some streamlining of the investigative process and anchor all the blocks that we've built over the years into one single document for the OIC and for the institutions.

[Pat Kelly, Conservative, Calgary Rocky Ridge, AB]

Do you have critical files that will be awkward to hand over to your successor?

[Suzanne Legault]

Well, I have 2,844 files, and at this point 60% of those are assigned to people. Those will be going through. There are a couple of investigations that I'm planning to complete. The long-gun registry issue is not finalized. It's still before the court. I also have the investigation of the muzzling of scientists. Those two are the biggies, and those are coming to an end, I would say.

Aside from that, with regard to the investigations, whether I am there or not, everything goes through the directors and the senior management team.

[Pat Kelly, Conservative, Calgary Rocky Ridge, AB]

The new position has not been posted, so to speak. You have not been asked to remain, but do you expect to be asked?

[Suzanne Legault]

I think that there will be confirmation in a very short period of time. I think the notice for the position will be up very soon—that's what I'm hearing—maybe as soon as next week. For my position, as you know, it has to be an order in council for any extension on an interim basis. That has to be made official and published. We're expecting that to be done in very short order, so I think that we do have some stability. From my perspective, in terms of investigation and so on, my motto in terms of managing anything is not to make myself indispensable, but quite the opposite, to make myself disposable. I'm coming to the point where I think I'm becoming disposable. I'm quite confident the office will move to a very smooth transition.

[The Chair, Conservative, Blaine Calkins]

Thank you very much, Mr. Kelly.

Mr. Dubourg for five minutes, please.

[Emmanuel Dubourg, Liberal, Bourassa, QC]

Thank you, Mr. Chair.

It's my turn to greet you, ladies, and to thank you for being here.

Ms. Legault, I first wanted to congratulate you briefly. My colleague said seven years, but I'm told that you have been at the helm of the Office of the Privacy Commissioner for eight years. With your leadership, you have put your particular imprint on the organization. Can you tell us in a few words what you are satisfied with in the work you have done in your organization, and what you will be leaving your successor.

[Suzanne Legault]

I am not gone yet.

[Emmanuel Dubourg, Liberal, Bourassa, QC]

Oh, oh! No. Let's not push you toward the door, either.

[Suzanne Legault]

Thank you very much for your positive comments. I appreciated them greatly.

Seriously, I am most proud of having worked with absolutely exceptional people over the years. It is a working environment where all of the employees, my colleagues in management, and those at the provincial and territorial levels, are extremely passionate. They work so hard and always give their utmost, in spite of sometimes very difficult moments.

I am very proud of having joined an organization which was perhaps not in the Stone Age, but in the Middle Ages, and which is now a modern, well-functioning organization. I am pleased to have the opportunity to put a few last pieces in place. I still hope to see a reform of the act in the next few months.

[Emmanuel Dubourg, Liberal, Bourassa, QC]

Fine. Thank you.

[Suzanne Legault]

That would be the last element in work I would be proud of.

[Emmanuel Dubourg, Liberal, Bourassa, QC]

Very well. We have heard your message clearly.

For the aftermath, if you had the opportunity of meeting your successor, what recommendation would you make to him?

[Suzanne Legault]

In my opinion, the most important quality for a Privacy Commissioner is resilience. It doesn't apply to a particular task or a specific objective; it's a state of mind. You have to remain resilient in spite of everything, because there are some extremely difficult moments for a Privacy Commissioner. It requires sustained energy over the years.

That resilience is important for the people around you at the Office of the Commissioner, because the nature of our work is to resolve citizens' complaints. It's not always easy for the people who work with us. We deal with these people, and when they call us it is because they are disappointed, at the very least, or upset, or are trying to obtain something. Sometimes this is difficult for all kinds of reasons. So I think that resilience is the most important thing.

We have to continue to work to advance the cause of access to information, transparency, because ultimately it is the cause of democracy. It is fundamental for Canadians.

There you go.

[Emmanuel Dubourg, Liberal, Bourassa, QC]

Thank you very, very much, and I wish you success in your future endeavours.

[Suzanne Legault]

Thank you very much.

[The Chair, Conservative, Blaine Calkins]

Thank you very much, colleagues.

Madam Legault, this is the third time this week I've had the pleasure of offering sincere gratitude on behalf of the committee members who are here, and all members who have come before whom you've dealt with in your years of service. Every time you've come and talked, about the estimates in particular, the struggles that you've had, your office, through your leadership, has always recommended making things more efficient rather than simply asking for more money. I want to highlight that and commend that approach in particular.

Thank you for your candour and your straightforward approach in dealing with members of Parliament, and obviously helping us do our job here in making our country a better place. We wish you all of the best as you go on.

[Suzanne Legault]

Thank you very much.

[The Chair, Conservative, Blaine Calkins]

I know that this committee loves to hear the candour from past commissioners, because sometimes it's easier to speak about things when you're not in the role anymore. We look forward at some point to inviting you back to continue to guide our country on these particular issues.

Thank you very much.

[Suzanne Legault]

Thank you very much.

[The Chair, Conservative, Blaine Calkins]

Colleagues, before we go, we have to decide whether we're actually going to give the commissioners any more money and continue on with the main estimates.

If it pleases you, we're going to go for some votes.

OFFICE OF THE COMMISSIONER OF LOBBYING Vote 1—Program expenditures..........$4,026,414

(Vote 1 agreed to)

OFFICE OF THE CONFLICT OF INTEREST AND ETHICS COMMISSIONER Vote 1—Program expenditures..........$6,178,280

(Vote 1 agreed to)

OFFICE OF THE SENATE ETHICS OFFICER Vote 1—Program expenditures..........$1,120,500

(Vote 1 agreed to)

OFFICES OF THE INFORMATION AND PRIVACY COMMISSIONERS OF CANADA Vote 1—Office of the Information Commissioner of Canada – Program expenditures..........$9,946,659 Vote 5—Office of the Privacy Commissioner of Canada – Program expenditures..........$22,075,133

(Votes 1 and 5 agreed to)

Shall I report the main estimates, less the amounts voted in interim supply, to the House?