One of my priorities is to give meaning to the expression “open government”. That has to become more than just a slogan; people in organizations have to believe in the power of sharing information. It is clear to me that it will take time. After all, the Access to Information Act has its limitations. I feel that the role of the commissioner's office is to make sure that decisions are made consistently and that the guidelines that have to be used when those limits apply are well enough known.
Currently, I see that little information is shared about decisions or investigation, given that the office of the commissioner can only write annual or special reports. The new legislation allows the office of the commissioner to issue orders.
In the coming years, if I become commissioner, I would like to explore the possibility of doing more than that. Issuing orders seems very negative in that we are forcing people to abide by the law. Why not also publish best practices, exemplary practices, and decisions in which organizations are encouraged and congratulated for the work they have done. I would like to work with institutions, with Parliament, in order to determine how to implement best practices and to encourage people to disclose information, rather than forcing them.