Mr. Chair, we certainly take our role of protecting the identity of people who come to our door very seriously. That obligation does not just apply to our office. I neglected to mention that, as part of the internal processes, each department and deputy head has the same obligation to protect the identity of those who decide to speak out. But, yes, in preparation for my appearance today, I asked myself and I asked my deputy commissioner, who is one of Canada's experts in administrative law, about the extent to which I can divulge details published in my annual report and still maintain the balance of night toward justice.
At the end of the day, I feel that all members of the committee and all members of Parliament are interested in truth, legitimacy and the public interest. This will be a very delicate balance. The courts will have the last word on what the ideal balance is. In the meantime, I can assure you that we will do everything possible. Our previous practices have shown that disclosers were so afraid of being identified that they did not wish to take the complaint process any further. So, we withheld the details of the disclosure. We arrived at complete solutions with organizations without having to provide evidence. In cases like that, however, we cannot always check everyone's credibility. It all comes at a cost. So we have to maintain a balance. My commitment today is to provide the best protection than I can.