Showing posts with label Access to Information Act. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Access to Information Act. Show all posts

Monday, August 30, 2010

Opposition undeterred by Tory refusal to hand over emails

Minister of the Economic Development Agency of...Image via Wikipedia

Opposition undeterred by Tory refusal to hand over emails
Gloria Galloway
Ottawa
From Monday's Globe and Mail
The federal government's refusal to give a Commons committee the e-mail records of a Conservative staff member has not deterred opposition members who say they will fight to get the documents into their hands.
Conservative House Leader John Baird wrote last week to the clerk of the opposition-dominated Access to Information, Privacy and Ethics committee to say the government would "not be acceding" to the committee's demand for the electronic correspondence of a political aide who blocked the release of an Access to Information request.

Mr. Baird defended the decision, saying cabinet ministers, and not their staff, are responsible to Parliament. More than that, said Mr. Baird, parliamentary and constitution convention dictates that the political communications related to decisions and actions of cabinet ministers are never disclosed.

FULL ARTICLE: http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/politics/opposition-undeterred-by-governments-refusal-to-hand-over-emails/article1689506/
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Thursday, February 26, 2009

Government secrecy ‘grim,' watchdog says


Government secrecy ‘grim,' watchdog says

Globe and Mail Update

OTTAWA — The federal Information Commissioner is warning that Canadians' ability to get information from their government has reached a dire state.

The Harper Conservatives now routinely delay requests for government documents – a right of Canadians under the law – well beyond the 30 days that the Access to Information Act requires.

Six out of the 10 governments departments reviewed by the commissioner's office received failing grades.

“I do believe that its results provide a grim picture of the federal government's access to information regime,” Information Commissioner Robert Marleau says in a special report to Parliament.


FULL ARTICLE

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Monday, January 26, 2009

Canada's cult of secrecy

Stephen Harper gives a victory speech to party...Image via Wikipedia

Canada's cult of secrecy

Harder than ever to get information from the federal government

Last Updated: 26th January 2009, 4:26am

As to highlight tomorrow's budget in Canada, President Barack Obama has coincidentally drawn attention to Canada's penchant for secrecy.

By making "openness" and "transparency" a cornerstone of his presidency, he's drawn attention to Canada's lack of same.

Not since the advent of the Access to Information Act (ATIA) in 1983, has it been so difficult to get timely information from the Canadian government.

...

A challenge for Harper is to follow Obama's lead for more open government.


FULL ARTICLE

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