Madam Chair, there is a lot again in that question. The way I understand the honourable member's question....
Again, you're absolutely right. The risk is that if we do have an increase in complaints this year, we are going to be creating an additional backlog, even with the increased number of cases that we close. That is the huge concern I have in dealing with the 2,000 cases we're carrying over, as opposed to a manageable carry-over. That's why I have a clear sense of urgency in dealing with that large inventory of cases we carry forward from year to year. So that's one aspect.
In terms of the second aspect, it's true that if there are insufficient resources within institutions to actually process access to information requests, it creates delays in terms of responding to those requests. It increases the number of complaints to my office as well, which again leads to additional delays. That's why the report cards have focused on delays in order to deal with those cases.
Frankly, Madam Chair, I've said this many times before. Where I really think we should be spending our time, not only within institutions in matters of access to information requests, but also at the Office of the Information Commissioner of Canada, is on substantive decisions to release information to Canadians based on exemptions and exclusions. That is really the delicate balance that needs to be struck. In my view, that is where my role is the most important and the most efficient: to act as the arbiter in that function. We do not want to be spending our time on extensions and delays, because that is really not going to the core of what Canadians want as part of their access to information system.
I hope I answered in part the member's question.