We have just completed, as part of an OECD study, a review of independent fiscal institutions in OECD countries. Amongst these institutions was the Parliamentary Budget Officer of Canada. I have also followed a little bit over the past few years the work of the Parliamentary Budget Officer, not in extensive detail, but I have kept a bit in touch with it.
From this work, I am aware that on occasion there have been requests for information from departments where the information has not been furnished, and then letters posted on the website of the Parliamentary Budget Officer that are essentially the responses from government departments to such requests for information.
I think that despite the provisions in the law, the Parliamentary Budget Officer should get information for free and should get the information he needs to undertake his work properly. I believe there have been some problems in this area.