Information & Ethics committee  It's about 50% of our business. It's important for me to put this on the record, Mr. Chairman, because this is probably the only area where I disagree with former Commissioner Marleau. The top complainants actually represent other individuals or other interests. I think those figures are relevant to us in terms of the client service perspective, because we are sometimes able to deal with matters in bulk, or with matters with portfolio against certain institutions.

Information & Ethics committee  Some of them are doing that.

Information & Ethics committee  No, there isn't.

Information & Ethics committee  In my opinion--this is really in accordance with international standards--access to information should not be framed on a cost-recovery basis. However, there are some models where this is done. In B.C. there is cost recovery for commercial users. Normally I would suggest that this be done with a complement of understanding that there should be a waiving of certain fees for public interest or non-governmental organizations or academic-type research work.

Information & Ethics committee  I have not.

Information & Ethics committee  Mr. Chair, first of all, the three-year plan is very transparent and the idea is to foster self-compliance in institutions. In essence, if I tell people right off the bat that next year we'll be doing a report card on them, the idea is that they'll start putting their house in order this year.

Information & Ethics committee  I think that's administrative in nature, yes.

Information & Ethics committee  I don't have any data in terms of who has decided not to make an access request. Obviously that would be very difficult to measure. What I would say, and I have said this many times, is that the way the system works now is not conducive to Internet generations making access requests.

Information & Ethics committee  My children actually laughed at me when I explained how you go about doing it.

Information & Ethics committee  They just don't even have the tools anymore. It's as simple as that.

Information & Ethics committee  Mr. Chair, what I meant is that, to me, when I read the letter...and when a government states that we need more consultation, then I think we have to make sure this doesn't turn into--I'll use this for parliamentarians--a Sir Humphrey exercise. If we're claiming that we need more consultation, and this is something that should be a government-led piece of legislation, then let's have a plan for consultation.

Information & Ethics committee  No.

Information & Ethics committee  I would say that our intention this year is to put the access requests we receive on the website, along with the responses. If there are specific questions relating to completed investigations, that would be published.

Information & Ethics committee  Yes.

Information & Ethics committee  In my opinion, a lot of things can be done at the administrative level. If that is where the government wants to go, then let's have more concrete things proposed. First, let's examine proactive disclosure. The new Quebec legislation contains new provisions that will come into force in December 2009.