PM needs to lead 'open government'

 

Info commissioner says push for disclosure of records must start at top

 

By Glen McGregor, The Ottawa CitizenApril 30, 2010

 

 

The federal information commissioner says it will require leadership from Prime Minister Stephen Harper if Canada is to follow the "open government" approach to electronic records championed by U.S. President Barack Obama.

Interim Information Commissioner Suzanne Legault told a parliamentary committee Thursday that, with a few exceptions, the government has been slow to put its electronic data online, even though Canada is one of the most Internet-connected countries in the world.

"At the federal level, there have been only very modest attempts at proactive disclosure," Legault told the Access to Information and Ethics Committee.

In contrast, the U.S., Britain, Australia and several Canadian provinces are moving quickly to make electronic records available and allow the public to download the data.

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