That's a really good question. I'm glad I'm retired from government, because that might create challenges.
I think it will really take some impetus, something driving it, some push. The fact that CPIC is outdated has been noted for years and years. I may be wrong on this—I'm at a certain age now—but I think there was a 2007 report by the Auditor General with recommendations that the CPIC system be brought up to date. That was 10 years ago. I believe there have been some subsequent discussions of CPIC's outdatedness in reports by auditors general since then, and yet still today.... I don't want to overstate it, but—as my grandson would say—seriously? In 2017 we cannot find a solution for that problem?
I'm just going to say it: it's a disgrace, in my opinion, that the system is so outdated. I heard from prosecutors in the province of Alberta when I was conducting the review about what it takes to do their best. Alberta being one of those jurisdictions where there are a lot of people coming in and leaving, it takes significant effort to gather information for a bail hearing. There's no formal way to do it. You have to pick up the phone or email, and you need to know who in the other jurisdiction you can get that information from. You have to do it quickly, because you have a bail hearing in maybe an hour. There are these patchwork ways to fill the gap created by the database.
I met with the RCMP during the review, and I know they're taking steps to bring it up to date, but still I think we'll be waiting until March—I believe I saw a date somewhere of March 2018—to clear the backlog. Of course, that doesn't solve the problem. That's the backlog of prior convictions. It doesn't solve the problem of an easy way to know about releases in extra-provincial jurisdictions on new outstanding charges and the terms of the release conditions. That information simply isn't available.