As a nonpartisan service committed to assisting all Members, the professional responsibilities of the Research Branch are clear. Branch statistics indicate that services are more popular now than in previous Parliaments. Total work assignments increased more than 30 percent last fiscal year. Total requests from the two opposition parties equalled the number from government members, although they hold 36 percent of the seats compared to the government's 60 percent. In fact, the Reform Party, with 18 percent of the seats, accounts for 31 percent of the requests.
Problems concerning perceived partisanship can arise.
Despite the Library's reputation, it has not always survived unscathed from highly politicized situations on committees. For example, in the last Parliament, the Conservative government introduced major new tax legislation, the Goods and Services Tax, which was unpopular in the country. The bill passed the House of Commons, where the Conservatives had a majority, but was held up in the Senate, which was initially controlled by the Opposition Liberals. Library staff assisted the Senate committee studying the bill. The chair was a Liberal as were the majority of members on the committee.