I'll start and then ask colleagues from CBSA to fill in.
Essentially, as I said, CIC is the first line overseas in terms of receiving the visitor visa application. Under protocols that we have with public safety agencies, there are requirements for mandatory referrals of a number of types of applications that take a certain amount of time. CBSA, as the focal point, works with partner agencies to conduct those checks and then provides advice back to CIC for the officer to make the final determination and decision.
Right now that does take time, and in some countries, if there are spikes in volume, service standards suffer. Our view would be that as we move to more electronic means—locking in identity through biometrics, for example, improving our electronic connections with and between the public safety partners—we'll be able to turn those decisions around much more quickly.
I'll ask my CBSA colleagues to add to that if they have anything to offer.