Information & Ethics committee  He acts in many of those, maybe not all of them.

Information & Ethics committee  It's by their knowledge and familiarity with legal privacy issues.

Information & Ethics committee  I believe he's a sole practitioner.

Information & Ethics committee  Exemptions have always been in the Privacy Act for matters of national security. If the RCMP can't give out the information—let's say there's a person with some national security information on his or her file who requested it, and the RCMP gives it out partially but not completely, and then he or she complains to us—we have special investigators with a very high level of security clearance who can look at those files to determine whether or not the RCMP's stance is warranted and whether these are matters concerning national security.

Information & Ethics committee  It's not only very possible, it's a reality. This comes back to my previous remarks. We would like, in the reform of the Privacy Act, to be given more discretion in handling complaints. Worldwide, many of what are called data protection commissioners don't have to deal with every complaint.

Information & Ethics committee  Do you mean in privacy requests, or in access to information?

Information & Ethics committee  The standard for things being frivolous and vexatious in law is very high, so merely being bombarded is not a reason not to service the requests now.

Information & Ethics committee  Yes.

Information & Ethics committee  Yes. If there were a reform, I would think standards for use of discretion would be important, so that we don't get the system clogged by those who come back time and time again—on the same issue.

Information & Ethics committee  No major concerns, no, but I think perhaps there have been some comments or suggestions. I'll ask the....

Information & Ethics committee  Twice a year.

Information & Ethics committee  They advise us on our ongoing objectives, on policy positions, on our education program, and so on. They serve as advisers. We phone many of them up on different issues when we need advice.

Information & Ethics committee  Yes. Sometimes we consult them informally, yes.

Information & Ethics committee  Mr. Chairman, to give the honourable member an accurate answer, I'd have to go over all the hospitality figures. The honourable member should know that, as I remember, in hospitality there are also things like muffins and coffee for staff meetings, and so on. It's not just what we would traditionally think of as hospitality.

Information & Ethics committee  Rightly so, yes.