As it comes to the Universal Periodic Review, much of the work is done between three departments, the Ministry of Justice, obviously, Foreign Affairs and International Trade, and ourselves, given the role we have in coordinating between the federal and provincial and territorial governments. Hopefully that gives you some of the history.
With respect to the progress on the individual 68 recommendations, I'm not really in a position to give you a sense of where the lead departments may be on the recommendations they are dealing with.
I'm certainly able to talk about the engagements that Canadian Heritage has made with respect to its role as the chair of the continuing committee and with respect to the promotion of human rights to the general public and working with the justice department on finding a mechanism to make the federal family more aware of the rights. We're looking at data requirements for treaties. Also, we have accepted the responsibility to ensure that the documents are tabled in the House and will be done through our minister.
But if there are specific follow-up items, I would not feel competent to deal with the domain of another department. I'd be happy to take the item that it is and communicate it to my colleagues, if you wish.
On the question about the civil society engagement, we very clearly hear the message that civil society wants to have, is looking for, a larger role. What we, I think, are doing in our work now is developing options for ministers to consider on how we enlarge or how we potentially have a larger role.
The current continuing committee's mandate is one specifically given to us by all ministers involved in the process. It is something that our minister would have to bring back to all of his colleagues, because it is a federal, provincial, and territorial mechanism.
The question becomes, are there other mechanisms that are out there? Do we create a separate mechanism? It's not so much whether we have a process to have a better collaboration and consultation with civil society; it's choosing the one that's going to be the most efficient for all parties.
As I've said, we met with a smaller group of civil society representatives last week. We're looking for a larger consultation in June. We're meeting with our federal, provincial, and territorial colleagues in May. After that, I think we'll be able to move relatively quickly with the options for the consideration of ministers.