RTK WEEK FORUM /07

Every year in the early fall, countries around the world with freedom of information legislation, some seventy of them, observe Right to Know Week.

The forum held by the Right to Know Coalition of Nova Scotia at the University of King’s College in Halifax NS on October 4/07 did not attract as many people as we had hoped but the consensus of those who attended was that the agenda was interesting as well as instructive.

The topics covered by the participants included:

The challenges faced by police in living up to their obligations under Nova Scotia’s freedom of information legislation while, at the same time, protecting the integrity of police investigations;

Openness in government as seen by a seasoned journalist and a former deputy minister of justice. As expected there were differences in their views on the subject; and

Two members of the legislature answered questions from a panel of King’s journalism students.

The forum helps our Right to Know Coalition meet its mandate to promote open and accountable government and to encourage more citizen engagement in the process.

We thank the participants as well as the University of King’s College for providing the venue for the forum.


Darce Fardy
President
Right to Know Coalition of Nova Scotia
(902) 422-1481
darce@eastlink.ca
www.nsrighttoknow.ca