I think the PIA process, the way that it's described in the Treasury Board policy and the way it is described in the advice by my office on what we look for in PIAs, is very comprehensive. It balances risk. It looks at situations in their proper context, and it puts the efforts where they need to be put, and it is something that can achieve public interest goals while protecting fundamental privacy rights. I think this is a good tool. It's a flexible tool. It's not something that should be seen as a check or a nuisance. It's something that really helps the decision-making process and makes the program stronger from all aspects. I do highly commend it, and I think it should be something that is done as soon as possible. Mind you, there will be situations where exigent circumstances will prevent that from happening, but the standing point should be, as much as possible, to do that before the program is launched.
On August 8th, 2022. See this statement in context.