Government secrecy expands
The public's right to see government information can be a pain in the butt. Just ask British MPs, who are embroiled in a scandal over excessive expense claims. Back in Canada, both the former Liberal and current Conservative governments in Ottawa have been guilty of defying Access to Information law. For example, journalists and access-to-information advocates have for years sought the details of Jean Chrétien's appointment book, which was in high demand back in the days of Shawinigate. The Access to Information commissioner ordered the datebook released but PMO officials refused. After eight years of refusals, a federal court last year upheld the right of cabinet ministers to keep such information secret. Score one for the advocates of greater government secrecy. Even in Manitoba, the perversion of public access to information is alive and well. Earlier this month, the Winnipeg Regional Health Authority was exposed in the pages of this paper for concealing details of potentially harmful disease outbreaks in Winnipeg hospitals. The details of these outbreaks were only obtained after the Free Press was forced to file a Freedom of Information request. After the information was published, however, the WRHA agreed it should make the information available voluntarily. An authority spokeswoman claimed this would prevent "inaccurate and sometimes inflammatory information from other sources" making its way into the public realm. The WRHA should be ashamed for a number of reasons: for trying to keep that information concealed in the first place; for making journalists file a FOI request for information they now acknowledge should have been public; and for suggesting the media reports that forced them to do the right thing were inaccurate when there is not a shred of proof to back up the claim. The authors of access-to-information laws thought they were ushering in a new age of accountability and transparency. Instead, conniving communications staff and desperate politicians are using the very laws created to protect access to information to subvert our right to know. It's a worrisome trend to be sure. On the other hand, a story about bureaucrats and politicians trying desperately to conceal a scandal is almost always better than the scandal itself. dan.lett@freepress.mb.caGovernment secrecy expands
Public's right to information under attack
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