One of the solutions put forward to this committee by Mr. Orr from IRCC when he was here was a more client-friendly call centre approach. They would actually help the person to navigate the system, give them updates, look back at previous notes, and refer to prior questions that had been asked so that the person feels, at the end of the call, as though they have received some satisfaction.
In my view, that would go some way to reducing the demands on MPs' offices. At least in my experience, we go to the MP's office because we get the pat answer, whether from an online inquiry or a call centre, that it's “in process”. Even if it's far beyond standard processing times or it's clearly an unusual case, you still get the same answer.
My hope is that IRCC will implement changes that will allow the call centre agents to take some initiative and properly inform people about their cases. That may reduce some frustration and some unnecessary calls to your office. You're getting the same information that I'm getting and that the client is getting. It is an absurd duplication, in my view.