Main accomplishments during 1st mandate

Upholding Right of Access

Essentially eliminated the inherited inventory (more than 3,500 complaints)
- slow but steady decrease in the age and size of the inventory
Kept pace with increasing numbers of complaints
- more than 32,000 complaints registered
- more than 35,000 complaints closed
- managed to close 8% more complaints than were registered
- Record year was 2022-23: 7,415 complaints registered
Completed six systemic investigations
- Canada Border Services Agency (2024), Library and Archives Canada (2022), Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (2021), Canadian Heritage (2020), Department of National Defence (2020), Royal Canadian Mounted Police (2020)
- ArriveCAN systemic investigation in progress
Made nearly 700 orders since changes to the Act granted this power in 2019
- 9,75% of complaints have led to an order so far this year
In the last few years, engaged in 49 litigations, including:
- 34 times as a respondent to applications challenging my orders
- 6 applications initiated for writ of mandamus to compel compliance with orders

Launched a revamped web site focused on the needs of users (complainants and institutions)
Created an online complaint form and a searchable decisions database
Published more than 200 final reports, 600 orders and regularly updated guidance that allow all parties to better understand our investigation process and the Act
Created registry office, which receives complaints, registers those that are admissible and gets them ready for investigations
Commissioned two separate independent consultations (institutions and complainants) to enhance the operations of the OIC, with a focus on investigations and the Registry’s work.

Made several recommendations for further changes to the legislation
Met with parliamentarians, ministers, senior executives and public servants
- More than 140 meetings, speeches and presentations
Appeared over 20 times before 7 parliamentary committees
In the early days of the pandemic, cautioned institutions of the need to uphold the right of access to information, a quasi-constitutional right
- Reminder of the importance of duty to document government decisions and actions, with a view to ensuring transparency
Co-chaired five FPT Investigators Conferences and involved in FPT working group to promote right of access and share best practices
Public advocacy for access
- International: ICIC, ParlAmericas Open Parliament Network, Latin American Transparency and Access to Information Network and EUROsociAL+
- Domestic: Canadian Access and Privacy Association, Canadian Bar Association, Privacy and Data Governance Congress, National Claims Research Directors’, declassification discussion at University of Toronto
- Media: Les coulisses du pouvoir, The Globe and Mail (Secret Canada), op-eds, podcasts
Put forward proposals and recommendations for a declassification strategy for national security and intelligence records
Pushed for compassionate grounds disclosure

Raised issue of the importance of independent funding mechanism to reflect independence as agent of parliament in front of the Standing Committee on Government Operations and Estimates (OGGO), Standing Committee on Access to Information, Privacy and Ethics (ETHI), Standing Senate Committee on National Finance (NFFN)
- Recommended by ETHI in its report on the state of the access system
Recently met with Minister of Justice

Created Professional Development programs for investigators and others
High retention and impressive survey results, even in a challenging environment