Yes, for sure.
It's important to understand that the commissioner is going to be part of an ecosystem of oversight and accountability within the Government of Canada. There are many other components and important tools, and the commissioner is one of many.
For example, in “Canada's Collaborative Modern Treaty Implementation Policy”, section 5 speaks to the responsibilities of deputy heads to consult with modern treaty partners in the development of policy, programs or legislation; to embrace a whole-of-government approach to the implementation of modern treaties; to live up to “the honour of the Crown”; and not to do the bare legal minimum when it comes to implementation.
There is also section 8, which lists a number of different forward-looking tools that Canada is currently codeveloping with modern treaty partners, such as reinvigorating the “Cabinet Directive” for the implementation of modern treaty policy.
We also have tools such as the deputy minister's committee for the implementation of modern treaties, which is a forum for modern treaty partners to come and speak to deputy ministers.
Related to that, in annex A of the policy, there is the “Intergovernmental Leaders' Forum”, which is a really important forum for the Prime Minister to come and speak to modern treaty leaders in order to have a conversation about the priorities.
To me, the commissioner office is a very important tool feeding into this broader landscape. When the Prime Minister is going to speak to the leaders of modern treaty partners, there are reports in the public domain, which the modern treaty partners have been part of the development of, and these inform the conversation with the minister; or when the modern treaty partners come and speak to the deputy minister's committee for modern treaty implementation, there are reports shining light on a specific problem.
For me, it's important to look at the broader ecosystem of what oversight and accountability are. This is a really important tool that adds to this, providing public accountability and, most importantly, bringing Parliament into the conversation. It is a key piece that we're currently missing.