The member is correct that it is difficult for us to comment on trends, because we did not go further back than 2006. One of the reasons we didn't was that we had even more limited access to cabinet documents prior to 2006. A new order in council came out and clarified our access in 2006, so we were able to see many more documents. If we had tried to go back further, I think we would not have gotten the kind of information we would need in order to be in a position to conclude.
We note, however, for certain departments, the progress or evolution over time. I think of the Department of Justice, for example. The report indicates that there was a lot of activity going on at one point. They disbanded many of the committees, with the idea that their work would be integrated into all of their activities. That does not appear to have worked.
It varies very much by department. Finance, for example, has made a lot of progress fairly recently. It's hard to make a conclusion overall on government.