Three ways federal transparency is threatened
Hiding artificial intelligence use, automatically incorporating regulations by reference, and using non-disclosure agreements all allow a creep towards government opacity.
Deceit, spin, politics, and a costly plan replace calls for greater transparency
The House Access Committee hopes to have a report out in late May or early June. Treasury Board President Mona Fortier’s appearance indicated a government intent on resisting and crushing calls for better disclosure legislation. It’s time to fully realize that the broken-beyond-repair access system benefits those in power, writes Ken Rubin.
Secretive bureaucrats tight-lipped on two prime ministerial promises
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau still hasn’t established a Canadian Centre of Peace, Order and Good Government, and he still hasn’t banned the export of live horses for slaughter.
Canadians’ privacy could take a serious hit this coming legislative session
OTTAWA—Government actions coming our way this year will dramatically affect Canadians’ personal data if left as is. One action, partly hidden and under-reported, involves federal, provincial, and territorial officials playing politics with our most sensitive personal health data. Behind closed doors, they have been formalizing a Pan-Canadian Health Data plan. This plan is about electronically […]
Confronting ‘culture of secrecy’ at forefront of access to information fix, say advocates, as feds trumpet innovation remedies
After more than a dozen reviews of the access to information regime, the solutions to fixing the system are well-known, but opposition MPs, transparency advocates, and experts question if the government actually wants to do so.
Treasury Board’s overdue review of Access Act is big on propaganda, light on recommendations
Treasury Board is not capable of being the engine and manager of any access-to-information regime, writes Ken Rubin.
Ottawa’s transit woes take a licking in LRT inquiry report
Two derailments to date, one large sinkhole delay, poorly designed tracks, and consistently unreliable service: all are hung up in the scathing LRT report.
