b'MESSAGE FROM THE CHAIRPERSONover the past year. Proactive management, along with an increase in the number of decisions rendered, significantly reduced the number of active cases. As a result, the Tribunal is processing all cases and no longer has a backlog to manage. Much shorter processing times for applications for review submitted to the Tribunal benefit Canadians.The ability to consult the Tribunals decisions in both official languages means better access to justice. As the pandemic resulted in fewer applications for review, the Tribunal took advantage of this lull to translate all decisions and orders completed as of March 31, 2021. In addition, the Tribunal members are continuing their efforts to improve the drafting of decisions in clear, plain language.In the past year, the Tribunal developed detailed strategic and business plans for the In the past year, despite a persistent globalnext two fiscal years. These are based on four pandemic, access to justice remained thestrategic objectives to improve administrative main strategic objective for the Canadaefficiency (access to justice, technological Agricultural Review Tribunal (Tribunal). modernization, acquiring new skills and The considerations and needs of Canadiansadoption of productivity and performance are the cornerstone of the Tribunals servicemetrics). The purpose is to modernize the delivery. Developing a simple protocol forTribunals operations, including launching a conducting the first virtual Tribunal hearingsnew electronic case management system inis a giant step toward promoting efficient fall 2021. This technological modernizationand expeditious access to justice. Thiswill drive innovation at the Tribunal by approach now allows the Tribunal toenabling, among other things, the exchangepromote and facilitate the use of electronicof electronic documents with parties. communication, an essential aspect for modernizing its operations.To improve productivity, the Tribunal is also establishing a productivity and performance It is important to acknowledge the input andevaluation framework to implement modern contribution of the members and staff in theand efficient means to process requests for many accomplishments that have taken place 2 CANADA AGRICULTURAL REVIEW TRIBUNAL'