Access to information

Canada's failing grade on Open Government

Topics: 
Government transparency, Access to information
Rating: 
3

The Economist – April 21, 2012

One of the five aims of the Open Government Partnership, a 55-country initiative strongly backed by the Obama administration, is “increasing corporate accountability”.

But a new report shows how poorly many in the partnership—including some that pride themselves on transparency—score on providing the legal name, official address, incorporation date and status, and other basic details of the companies they register.

Data may be not properly digitised, or available only for a fee, sometimes a fat one if copyrighted by commercial providers. Few countries provide data with a full open licence, allowing outside investigators and campaigners to slice, dice and reuse the information.

BC Lottery Corporation goes “all in” to avoid FOI requests

Topics: 
Government transparency, Access to information
Rating: 
3

BCLC appeals three of six FOI orders to BC Supreme Court

FIPA news release – March 14th, 2012

The BC Lottery Corporation REALLY doesn’t like to release information to Freedom of information requesters. Of all the 2,500+ public bodies covered by BC’s Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy act,it is proving to be the most reluctant and most litigious.

BCLC’s denial of six FOI requests went to hearings before the Information and Privacy Commissioner in the past year, with BCLC claiming a variety of exceptions to the rule that records must be released.

Pro-democracy group accuses Tories of foot-dragging on open government plan

Topics: 
Government transparency, Access to information
Rating: 
0

Jim Bronskill – April 2, 2012

Just two weeks before Canada unfurls its plan for open government at a major international meeting in Brazil, the federal blueprint remains largely a mystery.

Delegates from 53 countries, including Canada, will gather in Brasilia on April 17-18 for the annual meeting of the Open Government Partnership.Participating countries will deliver action plans that spell out commitments on making government more open and accountable, and agree to independent review of their progress.

Top court blocks government's effort to restrict Afghan human rights info

Topics: 
Foreign Affairs, Afghanistan, Access to information
Rating: 
0

Robert Hiltz – March 29, 2012

An appeal by the Department of Foreign Affairs to block an Ottawa law professor from getting a better look at reacted documents that detail the status of human rights in Afghanistan won't be heard by the Supreme Court of Canada.

The Department of Foreign Affairs had been trying to prevent University of Ottawa law professor Amir Attaran from gaining further access to the departmental reports.

Canadian government silent on Blackfire case of corruption and murder

Topics: 
Foreign Affairs, Corruption, Access to information, Mining, Resources industry
Rating: 
3

Press Release: Canada NewsWire – March 15, 2012

Two years after filing a complaint with the RCMP for corruption allegations against Calgary-based Blackfire Resources, a group of Canadian civil society organizations would like to know where Canadian authorities stand on the company's controversial operations in Chiapas, Mexico.

But, after an eighteen-month wait, a request for information to the Department of Foreign Affairs and International Trade under the Access to Information Act is still unanswered.

"On Expenses" drama: How the misconduct of UK MPs was exposed

Topics: 
Government ethics, Videos, Access to information
Rating: 
2

Heather Brooke, an American living in London, was writing a book about the Freedom of Information Act. In 2004, she approached the House of Commons about MP's expenses, and found her legitimate requests blocked repeatedly.

This entertaining drama follows one dogged and spirited individual over the most powerful institution in the country. In all the scandal of the MP's expenses, one story remains to be told and it is the best of them all: because there would have been no documents leaked to one of the leading UK newspapers, The Daily Telegraph - indeed no documents of any kind at all - had not one supremely determined journalist fought for five long years against the increasingly desperate attempts by the House of Commons to keep their expenditure secret.

Heather Brooke, warrior queen of MPs’ expenses

Topics: 
Government ethics, Books, Access to information
Rating: 
0
Heather Brooke

Heather Brooke, the journalist who first suspected foul play in Parliament, reveals the injustices that still drive her

Elizabeth Grice – April 8, 2010

Heather Brooke is fashioned like one of those Amazonian carvings on the prow of a ship, breasting the ocean of deceit and greed with her cinnamon hair flying, eyes blazing and long chin thrust forward. Defiance seems to be her natural stance and, like a ship’s figurehead, she would strike fear into the enemy.

She is the journalist who smelt a rat over MPs’ expenses and for five years doggedly used the Freedom of Information Act to try to prise out the details. But for The Daily Telegraph's scoop, which effectively robbed her of personal victory but made her a campaigning heroine, not many people would have heard of her.

Foreign Affairs’ fees for access-to-information requests unwarranted

Topics: 
Foreign Affairs, Access to information
Rating: 
3

Peter Henderson – February 20, 2012

Foreign Affairs Minister John Baird is flouting demands from the federal information commissioner that his department stop charging fees for access-to-information requests. Information Commissioner Suzanne Legault said trading cash for information is not the way it’s supposed to work — but she has no plans to challenge the ruling in court.

“Fees must not constitute a barrier to access,” the commissioner wrote in her final ruling on the matter. “I recommend that the minister direct his officials to cease charging fees for search and preparation time of electronic records.”

Letter on open government for the President of the Treasury Board

Topics: 
Government transparency, Access to information, Watchdogs
Rating: 
0

January 20, 2012

The Honourable Tony Clement, P.C., M.P.
President of the Treasury Board and
Minister for the Federal Economic
Development Initiative for Northern Ontario
140 O’Connor Street
Ottawa, Ontario  K1A 0R5

Dear Minister:

This letter reflects the views and recommendations of the Information and Privacy Commissioners of Canada and is provided with the goal of assisting the government in developing its action plan for the international Open Government Partnership initiative (OGP).

Open government has the potential to empower citizens to participate in a collaborative dialogue with government, to promote innovation and to facilitate more efficient delivery of programs and services. It leads to enhanced accountability and ultimately generates trust in government.

Info czars tell government to place ‘integrity’ at heart of reforms

Topics: 
Government transparency, Access to information, Watchdogs
Rating: 
4
Suzanne Legault

Mike Blanchfield – January 25, 2012

Canada’s federal and provincial information commissioners are calling on Ottawa to place “integrity” firmly at the heart of their open government strategy to help break down the soaring barriers to information access.

Suzanne Legault, the Information Commissioner of Canada, along with her 12 provincial and territorial counterparts delivered the message to Treasury Board President Tony Clement this week in a detailed letter that lays out a series of recommendations on opening up government.

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