The report speaks for itself. It's a good summary of all the issues that we're facing in the access system. They're issues that we've known about for years, issues that you've heard about from experts and issues that I've mentioned in my submissions. We knew about them before 2019, when Bill C-58 was tabled, so it's disappointing that there's no action plan. There's a lot of “should”. There are a lot of “opportunities”. I think the opportunity has been missed.
You heard submissions for two years when public consultations were held. Where are the recommendations? Usually, in a legislative review, you will have conclusions, recommendations and a plan of action. This is why I am disappointed today to speak in front of you. It's because of this report.
Secondly, there's no mention of access to information in any of the ministers' mandate letters, so I don't think transparency and access are key at this point. I have asked for additional funding for my office, which I think all of the access units should also get. The resources are lacking, and we're not seeing much going toward that either.
This is why I think this is not something to celebrate.