On the issue of privacy, obviously, the legislation doesn't just apply to the department we're concerned with. As lawyers, we deal with it all the time. There are exceptions within the privacy legislation, both federally and in different provinces, that permit the exchange of information in the situations we're talking about. For me personally, it's a matter of interpretation. If it could be clearer in the legislation, then fine, but I don't even think we need legislative change. I think it's a matter of how the department—and the government as a whole, because I don't think it's just foreign affairs where this is an issue—has a very narrow view of sharing personal information with advocates.
On February 15th, 2018. See this statement in context.