Thank you, Madam Chairperson. The Standing Committee on Government Operations reviewed Bill 24, An Act to Amend the Access to Information and Protection of Privacy Act at its meeting on July 29, 1999. The committee would like to thank the Honourable Charles Dent for presenting the bill and responding to the committee's questions.

Bill 24 would amend the Access to Information and Protection of Privacy Act to allow the Management and Services Board to appoint a special information and privacy commissioner where the commissioner has determined that he or she should not act in a particular matter. The Commissioner now has a conflict with respect to a review, and the act does not currently allow another individual to act on a single review in the Commissioner's place. The bill provides that the special commissioner will hold office until the conclusion of the matter for which he or she was appointed.

Madam Chairperson, the standing committee supports this amendment. Committee Members may have questions or comments on the bill as we proceed. This concludes the standing committee's comments on Bill 24, An Act to Amend the Access to Information and Protection of Privacy Act. Thank you.