Information & Ethics committee  Well, basically what we're trying to do is to complete all of these administrative matters. Our goal is to complete the administrative matters 85% within 90 days. This is what we have in our report, and in our plans and priorities. At this point, we complete about 20-some percent within that period of time.

Information & Ethics committee  With regard to the legislative reform, I support the recommendations that had been made last year under the leadership of Mr. Marleau. If I recall correctly, there were 12 recommendations on amending the act with regard to urgent matters. I support them because I was a member of that team.

Information & Ethics committee  I think so: the act has to be amended. As I said in my presentation, I believe that the Access to Information Act has to be modified in order to comply with or, at the very least, show a greater convergence with the more progressive laws in Canada and internationally. A number of pieces of legislation have been tabled in Canada and internationally since the year 2000.

Information & Ethics committee  Thank you very much.

Information & Ethics committee  I think I'm okay.

Information & Ethics committee  It's just the time it takes us to actually receive the complaints, to make sure they're within our jurisdiction, and then to triage them according to whether they're simple administrative matters or whether they're complex matters. When I became interim commissioner in July, we had just had an internal audit that assessed the time it was taking us to do that aspect of our work.

Information & Ethics committee  Well, as I have said from the beginning, I have conducted myself as if I were permanently holding the position. So in terms of all of the investigative work we've done, that's definitely how I've conducted myself. The difference between an interim position and a long-term position is that the latter provides tremendous stability for the office and my employees, and I think that's going to make a huge difference for the atmosphere in our office, which I think is nothing but positive.

Information & Ethics committee  The most creative thing on my agenda, seriously, really does remain the investigative function at this point. We still have 2,000 files that we now have to tackle. We've tackled very well the short-term, more administrative matters. We're working on those, but the area that we really have to tackle now is the complex cases and how quickly we can get those through.

Information & Ethics committee  Yes, I do, a very brief one, Mr. Chairman, if you would allow me. I'm delighted to be here today, Mr. Chairman, to answer your questions on my nomination as Information Commissioner and to discuss the annual report on my office's activities for this past fiscal year. I'm really honoured to be conferred this tremendous privilege of being nominated for the position of Access to Information Commissioner of Canada.

Information & Ethics committee  Good afternoon Mr. Chairman.

Information & Ethics committee  Thank you.

Information & Ethics committee  No, I don't know. As I said in my opening remarks, the only analysis that has been done of the cost is what I've read in the Australian task force, where they basically put a dollar value on the value of public sector data, almost as an economic input. The other thing we know is that open government, say in Vancouver, has led to the development of various applications, which the government would probably never have developed but have resulted in a lot of use by their own citizens.

Information & Ethics committee  I think adding institutions that are covered is a good step forward in terms of increasing transparency, yes.

Information & Ethics committee  Mr. Chairman, my role is the role of an ombudsman. I really take this very seriously, and the reason I'm here is that I believe this is something we should adopt. It is in the interest of Canadians that the government adopt it. Further than that, I will continue to do what I do, which is to advocate before this committee, before other jurisdictions, and before other fora.

Information & Ethics committee  Yes, and, Mr. Chairman, I do have an investigation in relation to CAIRS, so I am bound by confidentiality.