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Thursday, November 21, 2024
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Ken Rubin

Ken Rubin is an Ottawa-based investigative researcher and is reachable at kenrubin.ca.

An election promise for a questionable consumer advocacy office is all but dead

  • Achieving greater marketplace compliance and consumer protection seems to be far from what is on the minds of most political and bureaucratic operatives these
Opinion | BY KEN RUBIN | October 30, 2024
François-Philippe Champagne
François-Philippe Champagne
Innovation Minister François-Philippe Champagne had his own ideas on how to proceed with the consumer file, writes Ken Rubin. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

An election promise for a questionable consumer advocacy office is all but dead

Opinion | BY KEN RUBIN | October 30, 2024
  • Achieving greater marketplace compliance and consumer protection seems to be far from what is on the minds of most political and bureaucratic operatives these

An election promise for a questionable consumer advocacy office is all but dead

Opinion | BY KEN RUBIN | October 30, 2024
  • Achieving greater marketplace compliance and consumer protection seems to be far from what is on the minds of most political and bureaucratic operatives these
François-Philippe Champagne
Innovation Minister François-Philippe Champagne had his own ideas on how to proceed with the consumer file, writes Ken Rubin. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

An election promise for a questionable consumer advocacy office is all but dead

  • Achieving greater marketplace compliance and consumer protection seems to be far from what is on the minds of most political and bureaucratic operatives these
Opinion | BY KEN RUBIN | October 30, 2024
François-Philippe Champagne
François-Philippe Champagne
Innovation Minister François-Philippe Champagne had his own ideas on how to proceed with the consumer file, writes Ken Rubin. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

An election promise for a questionable consumer advocacy office is all but dead

Opinion | BY KEN RUBIN | October 30, 2024
  • Achieving greater marketplace compliance and consumer protection seems to be far from what is on the minds of most political and bureaucratic operatives these

An election promise for a questionable consumer advocacy office is all but dead

Opinion | BY KEN RUBIN | October 30, 2024
  • Achieving greater marketplace compliance and consumer protection seems to be far from what is on the minds of most political and bureaucratic operatives these
François-Philippe Champagne
Innovation Minister François-Philippe Champagne had his own ideas on how to proceed with the consumer file, writes Ken Rubin. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

Standoff over records won’t change widespread document delays, denials, and discrepancies

  • Parliament is at a standstill over a set of records from a now-defunct agency, but has yet to go after the many instances where
Opinion | BY KEN RUBIN | October 17, 2024
While this record standoff in Parliament goes on, government stalling on the release of many documents requested by the public only grows, writes Ken Rubin. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

Standoff over records won’t change widespread document delays, denials, and discrepancies

Opinion | BY KEN RUBIN | October 17, 2024
  • Parliament is at a standstill over a set of records from a now-defunct agency, but has yet to go after the many instances where

Standoff over records won’t change widespread document delays, denials, and discrepancies

Opinion | BY KEN RUBIN | October 17, 2024
  • Parliament is at a standstill over a set of records from a now-defunct agency, but has yet to go after the many instances where
While this record standoff in Parliament goes on, government stalling on the release of many documents requested by the public only grows, writes Ken Rubin. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

What’s inside Ottawa stays inside—and there is no confidence that will change

  • This fall sitting of Parliament is going to be full of politicking, which doesn’t leave room to make efforts to fix Ottawa's secretive ways
Opinion | BY KEN RUBIN | September 30, 2024
Politicians busy pointing fingers at each other just do not seem to want to aspire to change the way insiders operate in Ottawa, writes Ken Rubin. Unsplash photograph by Kristina Flour

What’s inside Ottawa stays inside—and there is no confidence that will change

Opinion | BY KEN RUBIN | September 30, 2024
  • This fall sitting of Parliament is going to be full of politicking, which doesn’t leave room to make efforts to fix Ottawa's secretive ways

What’s inside Ottawa stays inside—and there is no confidence that will change

Opinion | BY KEN RUBIN | September 30, 2024
  • This fall sitting of Parliament is going to be full of politicking, which doesn’t leave room to make efforts to fix Ottawa's secretive ways
Politicians busy pointing fingers at each other just do not seem to want to aspire to change the way insiders operate in Ottawa, writes Ken Rubin. Unsplash photograph by Kristina Flour

MPs should be eyeing a bigger chopping block for interference issues 

  • On top of allegations of foreign government meddling, domestically, there is a growing pattern of interfering with, delaying, and repressing requests made under Canada's
Opinion | BY KEN RUBIN | June 24, 2024
While MPs are caught up with the issue of whether their colleagues or should be named for ‘wittingly’ collaborating with foreign powers, they should not overlook domestic interference in the public's knowledge about what government agencies are up to, writes Ken Rubin. Unsplash photograph by Agence Olloweb

MPs should be eyeing a bigger chopping block for interference issues 

Opinion | BY KEN RUBIN | June 24, 2024
  • On top of allegations of foreign government meddling, domestically, there is a growing pattern of interfering with, delaying, and repressing requests made under Canada's

MPs should be eyeing a bigger chopping block for interference issues 

Opinion | BY KEN RUBIN | June 24, 2024
  • On top of allegations of foreign government meddling, domestically, there is a growing pattern of interfering with, delaying, and repressing requests made under Canada's
While MPs are caught up with the issue of whether their colleagues or should be named for ‘wittingly’ collaborating with foreign powers, they should not overlook domestic interference in the public's knowledge about what government agencies are up to, writes Ken Rubin. Unsplash photograph by Agence Olloweb

CBSA: a troubled agency under the microscope

  • The government has not acted, despite CBSA becoming more of a failed agency that is too authoritative, too administratively weak, and too secretive.
Opinion | BY KEN RUBIN | May 22, 2024
Dominic Leblanc
Dominic Leblanc
Public Safety Minister Dominic LeBlanc. CBSA remains the only major enforcement agency without independent civilian oversight, and the government’s bill to create it is not high among its legislative priorities, writes Ken Rubin. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

CBSA: a troubled agency under the microscope

Opinion | BY KEN RUBIN | May 22, 2024
  • The government has not acted, despite CBSA becoming more of a failed agency that is too authoritative, too administratively weak, and too secretive.

CBSA: a troubled agency under the microscope

Opinion | BY KEN RUBIN | May 22, 2024
  • The government has not acted, despite CBSA becoming more of a failed agency that is too authoritative, too administratively weak, and too secretive.
Dominic Leblanc
Public Safety Minister Dominic LeBlanc. CBSA remains the only major enforcement agency without independent civilian oversight, and the government’s bill to create it is not high among its legislative priorities, writes Ken Rubin. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

Canada’s sordid approach to transparency needs to change

  • Data on everyday contracting is too often hidden, and only minimally posted on the open government portal or sufficiently posted in official public accounts.
Opinion | BY KEN RUBIN | April 22, 2024
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau appeared before the Public Inquiry into Foreign Interference on April 10. The prime minister told the inquiry he did not look at most of those written briefings on interference, and relied more on oral briefings from officials, notes Ken Rubin. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

Canada’s sordid approach to transparency needs to change

Opinion | BY KEN RUBIN | April 22, 2024
  • Data on everyday contracting is too often hidden, and only minimally posted on the open government portal or sufficiently posted in official public accounts.

Canada’s sordid approach to transparency needs to change

Opinion | BY KEN RUBIN | April 22, 2024
  • Data on everyday contracting is too often hidden, and only minimally posted on the open government portal or sufficiently posted in official public accounts.
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau appeared before the Public Inquiry into Foreign Interference on April 10. The prime minister told the inquiry he did not look at most of those written briefings on interference, and relied more on oral briefings from officials, notes Ken Rubin. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

Poilievre’s transparency promises fall short

  • Pierre Poilievre says he wants the federal information commissioner to take on Ottawa’s 'gatekeepers.' But he's not offering to cut back on ATIP exemptions
Opinion | BY KEN RUBIN | February 19, 2024
Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre addresses the Conservative caucus on the Hill on Jan. 28, 2024. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

Poilievre’s transparency promises fall short

Opinion | BY KEN RUBIN | February 19, 2024
  • Pierre Poilievre says he wants the federal information commissioner to take on Ottawa’s 'gatekeepers.' But he's not offering to cut back on ATIP exemptions

Poilievre’s transparency promises fall short

Opinion | BY KEN RUBIN | February 19, 2024
  • Pierre Poilievre says he wants the federal information commissioner to take on Ottawa’s 'gatekeepers.' But he's not offering to cut back on ATIP exemptions
Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre addresses the Conservative caucus on the Hill on Jan. 28, 2024. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

What 25 years of writing on Access to Information looks like

  • Sometimes, strong words are needed to express the lack of accountable government in Ottawa. Ken Rubin reflects on 25 years of doing that in
Opinion | BY KEN RUBIN | January 18, 2024
A screen shot of an Oct. 4, 2004, edition of The Hill Times, in which Ken Rubin's article on Maher Arar was featured on the front page. The Hill Times

What 25 years of writing on Access to Information looks like

Opinion | BY KEN RUBIN | January 18, 2024
  • Sometimes, strong words are needed to express the lack of accountable government in Ottawa. Ken Rubin reflects on 25 years of doing that in

What 25 years of writing on Access to Information looks like

Opinion | BY KEN RUBIN | January 18, 2024
  • Sometimes, strong words are needed to express the lack of accountable government in Ottawa. Ken Rubin reflects on 25 years of doing that in
A screen shot of an Oct. 4, 2004, edition of The Hill Times, in which Ken Rubin's article on Maher Arar was featured on the front page. The Hill Times

Bill C-27 lacking transparency for private-sector, AI privacy intrusions

  • The legislative scheme appears to be more about legally permitting continued and expanded AI use with little interest in privacy protection for individuals, and
Opinion | BY KEN RUBIN | November 27, 2023
As it stands, Bill C-27 is data-driven, putting business interests and secrecy first, writes Ken Rubin. Unsplash photograph by Matthew Henry

Bill C-27 lacking transparency for private-sector, AI privacy intrusions

Opinion | BY KEN RUBIN | November 27, 2023
  • The legislative scheme appears to be more about legally permitting continued and expanded AI use with little interest in privacy protection for individuals, and

Bill C-27 lacking transparency for private-sector, AI privacy intrusions

Opinion | BY KEN RUBIN | November 27, 2023
  • The legislative scheme appears to be more about legally permitting continued and expanded AI use with little interest in privacy protection for individuals, and
As it stands, Bill C-27 is data-driven, putting business interests and secrecy first, writes Ken Rubin. Unsplash photograph by Matthew Henry

Murky access-to-information responses aren’t fit for a king

  • Probing for records on the processes used for some high-ranking official endeavours can yield bits of data that, in turn, raise more questions.
Opinion | BY KEN RUBIN | November 9, 2023
Access-to-information documents released by the Royal Canadian Mint reveal a few twists, such as the fact Buckingham Palace gets to approve and own King Charles III’s images on Canadian currency, writes Ken Rubin. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

Murky access-to-information responses aren’t fit for a king

Opinion | BY KEN RUBIN | November 9, 2023
  • Probing for records on the processes used for some high-ranking official endeavours can yield bits of data that, in turn, raise more questions.

Murky access-to-information responses aren’t fit for a king

Opinion | BY KEN RUBIN | November 9, 2023
  • Probing for records on the processes used for some high-ranking official endeavours can yield bits of data that, in turn, raise more questions.
Access-to-information documents released by the Royal Canadian Mint reveal a few twists, such as the fact Buckingham Palace gets to approve and own King Charles III’s images on Canadian currency, writes Ken Rubin. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

Barriers to overhauling Ottawa’s service delivery and secrecy culture

  • Ottawa's rigid management style is stymying service delivery and disclosures, and is increasingly out of touch and out of control.
Opinion | BY KEN RUBIN | October 25, 2023
In her latest reports released last week, Auditor General Karen Hogan documents Ottawa's continued service delivery ineptness, writes Ken Rubin. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

Barriers to overhauling Ottawa’s service delivery and secrecy culture

Opinion | BY KEN RUBIN | October 25, 2023
  • Ottawa's rigid management style is stymying service delivery and disclosures, and is increasingly out of touch and out of control.

Barriers to overhauling Ottawa’s service delivery and secrecy culture

Opinion | BY KEN RUBIN | October 25, 2023
  • Ottawa's rigid management style is stymying service delivery and disclosures, and is increasingly out of touch and out of control.
In her latest reports released last week, Auditor General Karen Hogan documents Ottawa's continued service delivery ineptness, writes Ken Rubin. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

The public pays for self-serving and promotional government activity behind closed doors

  • Once ferreted out, and very late, government access-to-information releases are rarely not self-serving. Many a bureaucrat can tell you dozens of stories about such plans,
Opinion | BY KEN RUBIN | September 20, 2023
Pedestrians cross Elgin and Sparks streets on Aug. 9, 2023. Taxpayers are on the hook for attempts by bureaucrats to massage their public images or keep embarrassing government data from seeing the light of day, writes Ken Rubin. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

The public pays for self-serving and promotional government activity behind closed doors

Opinion | BY KEN RUBIN | September 20, 2023
  • Once ferreted out, and very late, government access-to-information releases are rarely not self-serving. Many a bureaucrat can tell you dozens of stories about such plans,

The public pays for self-serving and promotional government activity behind closed doors

Opinion | BY KEN RUBIN | September 20, 2023
  • Once ferreted out, and very late, government access-to-information releases are rarely not self-serving. Many a bureaucrat can tell you dozens of stories about such plans,
Pedestrians cross Elgin and Sparks streets on Aug. 9, 2023. Taxpayers are on the hook for attempts by bureaucrats to massage their public images or keep embarrassing government data from seeing the light of day, writes Ken Rubin. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

The government is scuttling your right to know

  • From the top down, neither the prime minister nor his government have the will to change secrecy practices and open up Ottawa.
Opinion | BY KEN RUBIN | July 26, 2023
Information Commissioner Caroline Maynard noted the steady decline in honouring access to information requests in her annual report last year. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

The government is scuttling your right to know

Opinion | BY KEN RUBIN | July 26, 2023
  • From the top down, neither the prime minister nor his government have the will to change secrecy practices and open up Ottawa.

The government is scuttling your right to know

Opinion | BY KEN RUBIN | July 26, 2023
  • From the top down, neither the prime minister nor his government have the will to change secrecy practices and open up Ottawa.
Information Commissioner Caroline Maynard noted the steady decline in honouring access to information requests in her annual report last year. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

House committee report mixes politics and partial fixes to Canada’s out-of-touch Access to Information Act

  • At least the recommendations go further in capturing some of what is needed to reform an access act that suffers tremendously from delays, exemptions,
Opinion | BY KEN RUBIN | June 28, 2023
Treasury Board President Mona Fortier told the House Access to Information Committee legislative amendments to the access act, if any, would have to wait until 2024-25. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

House committee report mixes politics and partial fixes to Canada’s out-of-touch Access to Information Act

Opinion | BY KEN RUBIN | June 28, 2023
  • At least the recommendations go further in capturing some of what is needed to reform an access act that suffers tremendously from delays, exemptions,

House committee report mixes politics and partial fixes to Canada’s out-of-touch Access to Information Act

Opinion | BY KEN RUBIN | June 28, 2023
  • At least the recommendations go further in capturing some of what is needed to reform an access act that suffers tremendously from delays, exemptions,
Treasury Board President Mona Fortier told the House Access to Information Committee legislative amendments to the access act, if any, would have to wait until 2024-25. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

David Johnston, super vetting government information consultant, bows out

  • Nobody ever said freeing-up Ottawa with so many government insiders afraid of public disclosures or having independent inquiries would be easy. 
Opinion | BY KEN RUBIN | June 15, 2023
David Johnston, Independent Special Rapporteur on Foreign Interference, appears at the Procedure and House Affairs Committee in West Block on June 6, 2023, to answer questions about foreign interference as calls for his resignation continued. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

David Johnston, super vetting government information consultant, bows out

Opinion | BY KEN RUBIN | June 15, 2023
  • Nobody ever said freeing-up Ottawa with so many government insiders afraid of public disclosures or having independent inquiries would be easy. 

David Johnston, super vetting government information consultant, bows out

Opinion | BY KEN RUBIN | June 15, 2023
  • Nobody ever said freeing-up Ottawa with so many government insiders afraid of public disclosures or having independent inquiries would be easy. 
David Johnston, Independent Special Rapporteur on Foreign Interference, appears at the Procedure and House Affairs Committee in West Block on June 6, 2023, to answer questions about foreign interference as calls for his resignation continued. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

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.
Opinion | BY KEN RUBIN | June 14, 2023
When there are efforts to suppress, sanitize, and depersonalize faulty actions or questionable government operations, the public loses out, big time, writes Ken Rubin. Pexels photograph by Juan Pablo Serrano Arenas

Three ways federal transparency is threatened

Opinion | BY KEN RUBIN | June 14, 2023
  • Hiding artificial intelligence use, automatically incorporating regulations by reference, and using non-disclosure agreements all allow a creep towards government opacity.

Three ways federal transparency is threatened

Opinion | BY KEN RUBIN | June 14, 2023
  • Hiding artificial intelligence use, automatically incorporating regulations by reference, and using non-disclosure agreements all allow a creep towards government opacity.
When there are efforts to suppress, sanitize, and depersonalize faulty actions or questionable government operations, the public loses out, big time, writes Ken Rubin. Pexels photograph by Juan Pablo Serrano Arenas

Signs of change: Parks Canada examines how we can address our past and future

  • The agency is grappling with twin challenges of how we contend with Canada's history, and how we will respond to the effects of climate
Opinion | BY KEN RUBIN | May 22, 2023
The minister responsible for signing off on major rewrites and even revocations of matters designated as commemorative will be current Environment Minister Steven Guilbeault. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

Signs of change: Parks Canada examines how we can address our past and future

Opinion | BY KEN RUBIN | May 22, 2023
  • The agency is grappling with twin challenges of how we contend with Canada's history, and how we will respond to the effects of climate

Signs of change: Parks Canada examines how we can address our past and future

Opinion | BY KEN RUBIN | May 22, 2023
  • The agency is grappling with twin challenges of how we contend with Canada's history, and how we will respond to the effects of climate
The minister responsible for signing off on major rewrites and even revocations of matters designated as commemorative will be current Environment Minister Steven Guilbeault. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

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
Opinion | BY KEN RUBIN | May 1, 2023
Treasury Board President Mona Fortier, pictured on the Hill, recently told members of the House Access to Information Committee that if any access-to-information legislative changes are introduced, that would happen during the five-year statutory in 2024-25. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

Deceit, spin, politics, and a costly plan replace calls for greater transparency

Opinion | BY KEN RUBIN | May 1, 2023
  • 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

Deceit, spin, politics, and a costly plan replace calls for greater transparency

Opinion | BY KEN RUBIN | May 1, 2023
  • 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
Treasury Board President Mona Fortier, pictured on the Hill, recently told members of the House Access to Information Committee that if any access-to-information legislative changes are introduced, that would happen during the five-year statutory in 2024-25. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

Trudeau, Huppé reinforce secrecy barriers

  • Meanwhile, the public remains deserted after 40 years of excessive secrecy under Canada's Access to Information Act and no one is really listening or
Opinion | BY KEN RUBIN | March 22, 2023
Treasury Board President Mona Fortier, seen at a press conference on March 21, 2023. Fortier has been requested to testify this month at the House Access to Information Committee about access to information. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

Trudeau, Huppé reinforce secrecy barriers

Opinion | BY KEN RUBIN | March 22, 2023
  • Meanwhile, the public remains deserted after 40 years of excessive secrecy under Canada's Access to Information Act and no one is really listening or

Trudeau, Huppé reinforce secrecy barriers

Opinion | BY KEN RUBIN | March 22, 2023
  • Meanwhile, the public remains deserted after 40 years of excessive secrecy under Canada's Access to Information Act and no one is really listening or
Treasury Board President Mona Fortier, seen at a press conference on March 21, 2023. Fortier has been requested to testify this month at the House Access to Information Committee about access to information. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

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
Opinion | BY KEN RUBIN | February 8, 2023
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau made a 2021 election promise to ban the export of live horses for slaughter. In his Dec. 16, 2021, mandate letter to Agriculture Minister Marie-Claude Bibeau, Trudeau instructed her to end horse exports for slaughter. This is another promise that has yet to be kept, writes Ken Rubin. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

Secretive bureaucrats tight-lipped on two prime ministerial promises

Opinion | BY KEN RUBIN | February 8, 2023
  • 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

Secretive bureaucrats tight-lipped on two prime ministerial promises

Opinion | BY KEN RUBIN | February 8, 2023
  • 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
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau made a 2021 election promise to ban the export of live horses for slaughter. In his Dec. 16, 2021, mandate letter to Agriculture Minister Marie-Claude Bibeau, Trudeau instructed her to end horse exports for slaughter. This is another promise that has yet to be kept, writes Ken Rubin. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

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
Opinion | BY KEN RUBIN | January 16, 2023
Canada's Privacy Commissioner Philippe Dufresne, pictured. Canadians will need much more than a 'look-the-other-way' house-cleaning in an updated Privacy Act if it’s to become an effective instrument of privacy rights and protection, writes Ken Rubin. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

Canadians’ privacy could take a serious hit this coming legislative session

Opinion | BY KEN RUBIN | January 16, 2023
  • 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

Canadians’ privacy could take a serious hit this coming legislative session

Opinion | BY KEN RUBIN | January 16, 2023
  • 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
Canada's Privacy Commissioner Philippe Dufresne, pictured. Canadians will need much more than a 'look-the-other-way' house-cleaning in an updated Privacy Act if it’s to become an effective instrument of privacy rights and protection, writes Ken Rubin. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

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.
Opinion | BY KEN RUBIN | December 26, 2022
Treasury Board President Mona Fortier, pictured on the Hill on Nov. 29, 2022. On Dec. 13, Treasury Board tabled its statutory review of Canada's Access to Information Act—two-and-a-half years after it began. It's a dense, bureaucratic essay without concrete recommendations or proposed amendments, passing itself off as a legislative review. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

Treasury Board’s overdue review of Access Act is big on propaganda, light on recommendations

Opinion | BY KEN RUBIN | December 26, 2022
  • Treasury Board is not capable of being the engine and manager of any access-to-information regime, writes Ken Rubin.

Treasury Board’s overdue review of Access Act is big on propaganda, light on recommendations

Opinion | BY KEN RUBIN | December 26, 2022
  • Treasury Board is not capable of being the engine and manager of any access-to-information regime, writes Ken Rubin.
Treasury Board President Mona Fortier, pictured on the Hill on Nov. 29, 2022. On Dec. 13, Treasury Board tabled its statutory review of Canada's Access to Information Act—two-and-a-half years after it began. It's a dense, bureaucratic essay without concrete recommendations or proposed amendments, passing itself off as a legislative review. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

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.
Opinion | BY KEN RUBIN | December 7, 2022
The recent inquiry report dissected complex interactions and technical problems with the 12.5 km-long Stage 1 light rail transit Confederation route in Ottawa. Photograph courtesy of Flickr/lezumbalaberenjena

Ottawa’s transit woes take a licking in LRT inquiry report

Opinion | BY KEN RUBIN | December 7, 2022
  • Two derailments to date, one large sinkhole delay, poorly designed tracks, and consistently unreliable service: all are hung up in the scathing LRT report.

Ottawa’s transit woes take a licking in LRT inquiry report

Opinion | BY KEN RUBIN | December 7, 2022
  • Two derailments to date, one large sinkhole delay, poorly designed tracks, and consistently unreliable service: all are hung up in the scathing LRT report.
The recent inquiry report dissected complex interactions and technical problems with the 12.5 km-long Stage 1 light rail transit Confederation route in Ottawa. Photograph courtesy of Flickr/lezumbalaberenjena

Exposing Library and Archives Canada’s dismal transparency record

  • OTTAWA—When I first came to Ottawa in the mid-1960s, I started going to the National Archives to access government records. I met Archives personnel
Opinion | BY KEN RUBIN | October 27, 2022
Library and Archives Canada, pictured on April 23, 2019. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

Exposing Library and Archives Canada’s dismal transparency record

Opinion | BY KEN RUBIN | October 27, 2022
  • OTTAWA—When I first came to Ottawa in the mid-1960s, I started going to the National Archives to access government records. I met Archives personnel

Exposing Library and Archives Canada’s dismal transparency record

Opinion | BY KEN RUBIN | October 27, 2022
  • OTTAWA—When I first came to Ottawa in the mid-1960s, I started going to the National Archives to access government records. I met Archives personnel
Library and Archives Canada, pictured on April 23, 2019. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

Finger-pointing Poilievre is still with us

  • OTTAWA—Once Pierre Poilievre accusingly pointed the finger in my direction, just like he has for others. The circumstances were as follows: he sat on
Opinion | BY KEN RUBIN | September 22, 2022
New Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre, who won with 70 per cent of the votes on Sept. 10 in Ottawa, is pictured recently on the Hill. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

Finger-pointing Poilievre is still with us

Opinion | BY KEN RUBIN | September 22, 2022
  • OTTAWA—Once Pierre Poilievre accusingly pointed the finger in my direction, just like he has for others. The circumstances were as follows: he sat on

Finger-pointing Poilievre is still with us

Opinion | BY KEN RUBIN | September 22, 2022
  • OTTAWA—Once Pierre Poilievre accusingly pointed the finger in my direction, just like he has for others. The circumstances were as follows: he sat on
New Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre, who won with 70 per cent of the votes on Sept. 10 in Ottawa, is pictured recently on the Hill. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

Is belated federal intervention helpful to resolving the capital community’s traumatization by Freedom Trucker Convoy protesters?

  • OTTAWA—Does it take special federal legislation to overcome hatred and official inaction to stop “Freedom” Convoy intrusions? Ottawa belatedly thought so when it invoked
Opinion | BY KEN RUBIN | September 14, 2022
A United People of Canada supporter, pictured on Aug. 25, 2022, outside the former St. Brigid’s church in Lowertown neighbourhood in Ottawa. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

Is belated federal intervention helpful to resolving the capital community’s traumatization by Freedom Trucker Convoy protesters?

Opinion | BY KEN RUBIN | September 14, 2022
  • OTTAWA—Does it take special federal legislation to overcome hatred and official inaction to stop “Freedom” Convoy intrusions? Ottawa belatedly thought so when it invoked

Is belated federal intervention helpful to resolving the capital community’s traumatization by Freedom Trucker Convoy protesters?

Opinion | BY KEN RUBIN | September 14, 2022
  • OTTAWA—Does it take special federal legislation to overcome hatred and official inaction to stop “Freedom” Convoy intrusions? Ottawa belatedly thought so when it invoked
A United People of Canada supporter, pictured on Aug. 25, 2022, outside the former St. Brigid’s church in Lowertown neighbourhood in Ottawa. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

Does the federal government fund and support racially discriminating groups and individuals?

  • OTTAWA—Federal funding of hateful messaging has been in the news lately after Prime Minister Justin Trudeau condemned the comments of a senior consultant who
Opinion | BY KEN RUBIN | September 8, 2022
Party on, Wayne: A Freedom Convoy supporter, pictured Feb. 17, 2022, drinking a can of beer out of work glove on Wellington Street, across from the Senate of Canada Building. At that point, the downtown occupation had entered its third week. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

Does the federal government fund and support racially discriminating groups and individuals?

Opinion | BY KEN RUBIN | September 8, 2022
  • OTTAWA—Federal funding of hateful messaging has been in the news lately after Prime Minister Justin Trudeau condemned the comments of a senior consultant who

Does the federal government fund and support racially discriminating groups and individuals?

Opinion | BY KEN RUBIN | September 8, 2022
  • OTTAWA—Federal funding of hateful messaging has been in the news lately after Prime Minister Justin Trudeau condemned the comments of a senior consultant who
Party on, Wayne: A Freedom Convoy supporter, pictured Feb. 17, 2022, drinking a can of beer out of work glove on Wellington Street, across from the Senate of Canada Building. At that point, the downtown occupation had entered its third week. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade
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Artificial intelligence another avenue for government to thwart transparency

  • OTTAWA—Artificial intelligence (AI) applications in use at federal agencies are rarely publicly known or sufficiently scrutinized. Yet the algorithms in play to either assist
Opinion | BY KEN RUBIN | February 17, 2021
Under the current broad exemptions of the Access to Information and Privacy Acts, the details of departmental AI use could be denied as being proprietary or matters of national security, law enforcement, and government economic interest, writes Ken Rubin. Photograph courtesy of Pexels

Artificial intelligence another avenue for government to thwart transparency

Opinion | BY KEN RUBIN | February 17, 2021
  • OTTAWA—Artificial intelligence (AI) applications in use at federal agencies are rarely publicly known or sufficiently scrutinized. Yet the algorithms in play to either assist

Artificial intelligence another avenue for government to thwart transparency

Opinion | BY KEN RUBIN | February 17, 2021
  • OTTAWA—Artificial intelligence (AI) applications in use at federal agencies are rarely publicly known or sufficiently scrutinized. Yet the algorithms in play to either assist
Under the current broad exemptions of the Access to Information and Privacy Acts, the details of departmental AI use could be denied as being proprietary or matters of national security, law enforcement, and government economic interest, writes Ken Rubin. Photograph courtesy of Pexels

Payette goes, but secrecy remains

  • OTTAWA—If only a non-partisan arm’s-length vetting committee had been around, Canadians would have had a better governor general than Julie Payette, so they say.
Opinion | BY KEN RUBIN | February 1, 2021
Julie Payette, pictured on Oct. 2, 2017, laying flowers on the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier at the War Memorial, after being installed as the country's new governor general. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

Payette goes, but secrecy remains

Opinion | BY KEN RUBIN | February 1, 2021
  • OTTAWA—If only a non-partisan arm’s-length vetting committee had been around, Canadians would have had a better governor general than Julie Payette, so they say.

Payette goes, but secrecy remains

Opinion | BY KEN RUBIN | February 1, 2021
  • OTTAWA—If only a non-partisan arm’s-length vetting committee had been around, Canadians would have had a better governor general than Julie Payette, so they say.
Julie Payette, pictured on Oct. 2, 2017, laying flowers on the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier at the War Memorial, after being installed as the country's new governor general. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

COVID-19 document disclosure promise not kept

  • Millions of pages of federal pandemic records the Trudeau government was ordered to hand over by the end of November or by the latest,
Opinion | BY KEN RUBIN | December 16, 2020
Privy Council Clerk Ian Shugart told the House Health Committee it will be ‘impossible’ to get them all of the ordered documents by the early December deadline. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

COVID-19 document disclosure promise not kept

Opinion | BY KEN RUBIN | December 16, 2020
  • Millions of pages of federal pandemic records the Trudeau government was ordered to hand over by the end of November or by the latest,

COVID-19 document disclosure promise not kept

Opinion | BY KEN RUBIN | December 16, 2020
  • Millions of pages of federal pandemic records the Trudeau government was ordered to hand over by the end of November or by the latest,
Privy Council Clerk Ian Shugart told the House Health Committee it will be ‘impossible’ to get them all of the ordered documents by the early December deadline. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

Honey, the pandemic shrunk transparency

  • OTTAWA—In these pandemic months, no one, not the public, or Parliament, is getting greater transparency. Existing committees, like the House of Commons Health Committee,
Opinion | BY KEN RUBIN | November 5, 2020
Treasury Board President Jean-Yves Duclos, pictured June 16, 2020, on the Hill, is the federal minister responsible for the application of the Access to Information Act. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

Honey, the pandemic shrunk transparency

Opinion | BY KEN RUBIN | November 5, 2020
  • OTTAWA—In these pandemic months, no one, not the public, or Parliament, is getting greater transparency. Existing committees, like the House of Commons Health Committee,

Honey, the pandemic shrunk transparency

Opinion | BY KEN RUBIN | November 5, 2020
  • OTTAWA—In these pandemic months, no one, not the public, or Parliament, is getting greater transparency. Existing committees, like the House of Commons Health Committee,
Treasury Board President Jean-Yves Duclos, pictured June 16, 2020, on the Hill, is the federal minister responsible for the application of the Access to Information Act. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

We may never get the full story on WE

  • OTTAWA—Ottawa hung around in August for some 5,000 pages of information on the controversial WE Charity potential student grant program. The released records produced
Opinion | BY KEN RUBIN | September 14, 2020
Conservative MP Pierre Poilievre, his party's finance critic, pictured on Aug. 19, 2020, showing a heavily redacted document that the government sent the House Finance Committee about its interactions with the WE Charity regarding a huge student grant program. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

We may never get the full story on WE

Opinion | BY KEN RUBIN | September 14, 2020
  • OTTAWA—Ottawa hung around in August for some 5,000 pages of information on the controversial WE Charity potential student grant program. The released records produced

We may never get the full story on WE

Opinion | BY KEN RUBIN | September 14, 2020
  • OTTAWA—Ottawa hung around in August for some 5,000 pages of information on the controversial WE Charity potential student grant program. The released records produced
Conservative MP Pierre Poilievre, his party's finance critic, pictured on Aug. 19, 2020, showing a heavily redacted document that the government sent the House Finance Committee about its interactions with the WE Charity regarding a huge student grant program. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

Troubled times for transparency call for change 

  • OTTAWA—Shocking revelations and events can stir the public. But that does not mean officials want to give up systemic secrecy practices and bring in
Opinion | BY KEN RUBIN | June 22, 2020
Hundreds of members of the Canadian Armed Forces were called in to help out in at least two dozen Ontario and Quebec long-term care homes in April and May hit hard by COVID-19, and reported allegations of elder abuse and neglect in at least five long-term care homes in Ontario. Photograph courtesy of Department of National Defence

Troubled times for transparency call for change 

Opinion | BY KEN RUBIN | June 22, 2020
  • OTTAWA—Shocking revelations and events can stir the public. But that does not mean officials want to give up systemic secrecy practices and bring in

Troubled times for transparency call for change 

Opinion | BY KEN RUBIN | June 22, 2020
  • OTTAWA—Shocking revelations and events can stir the public. But that does not mean officials want to give up systemic secrecy practices and bring in
Hundreds of members of the Canadian Armed Forces were called in to help out in at least two dozen Ontario and Quebec long-term care homes in April and May hit hard by COVID-19, and reported allegations of elder abuse and neglect in at least five long-term care homes in Ontario. Photograph courtesy of Department of National Defence

Transparency needed on working conditions for federal employees amid pandemic

  • Prime Minister Justin Trudeau on a near-daily basis offers briefings on the COVID-19 pandemic and unveils new spending measures. But what about some basic
Opinion | BY KEN RUBIN | May 12, 2020
Treasury Board Secretariat Jean-Yves Duclos' office said there are 341 confirmed reported viral infections in the federal public service and 31 work refusals. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

Transparency needed on working conditions for federal employees amid pandemic

Opinion | BY KEN RUBIN | May 12, 2020
  • Prime Minister Justin Trudeau on a near-daily basis offers briefings on the COVID-19 pandemic and unveils new spending measures. But what about some basic

Transparency needed on working conditions for federal employees amid pandemic

Opinion | BY KEN RUBIN | May 12, 2020
  • Prime Minister Justin Trudeau on a near-daily basis offers briefings on the COVID-19 pandemic and unveils new spending measures. But what about some basic
Treasury Board Secretariat Jean-Yves Duclos' office said there are 341 confirmed reported viral infections in the federal public service and 31 work refusals. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

Questions remain for federal employees as governments relax physical distancing

  • As federal offices prepare for the inevitable return to work, Public Services and Procurement Canada has assured us that employees will be coming back
Opinion | BY KEN RUBIN | May 1, 2020
Public Services and Procurement Minister Anita Anand is responsible for oversight and management of federally run buildings. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

Questions remain for federal employees as governments relax physical distancing

Opinion | BY KEN RUBIN | May 1, 2020
  • As federal offices prepare for the inevitable return to work, Public Services and Procurement Canada has assured us that employees will be coming back

Questions remain for federal employees as governments relax physical distancing

Opinion | BY KEN RUBIN | May 1, 2020
  • As federal offices prepare for the inevitable return to work, Public Services and Procurement Canada has assured us that employees will be coming back
Public Services and Procurement Minister Anita Anand is responsible for oversight and management of federally run buildings. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

COVID-19 invades and compromises our privacy

  • OTTAWA—COVID-19 puts privacy rights under attack. Zoom-bombers, COVID-19 scammers, and cellphone trackers are gaining ground as Canadians self-isolate. With the necessity of greater cyberspace
Opinion | BY KEN RUBIN | April 20, 2020
Public interest group monitoring of the growing loss of health privacy and individual privacy rights is happening. But it's going to take a concerted effort with the media reporting on privacy violations and breaches to get anywhere. It's a crisis within a crisis. Photograph courtesy of Pexels.com

COVID-19 invades and compromises our privacy

Opinion | BY KEN RUBIN | April 20, 2020
  • OTTAWA—COVID-19 puts privacy rights under attack. Zoom-bombers, COVID-19 scammers, and cellphone trackers are gaining ground as Canadians self-isolate. With the necessity of greater cyberspace

COVID-19 invades and compromises our privacy

Opinion | BY KEN RUBIN | April 20, 2020
  • OTTAWA—COVID-19 puts privacy rights under attack. Zoom-bombers, COVID-19 scammers, and cellphone trackers are gaining ground as Canadians self-isolate. With the necessity of greater cyberspace
Public interest group monitoring of the growing loss of health privacy and individual privacy rights is happening. But it's going to take a concerted effort with the media reporting on privacy violations and breaches to get anywhere. It's a crisis within a crisis. Photograph courtesy of Pexels.com

Upcoming access to information changes? It’s a secret 

  • OTTAWA—A minority Parliament should want greater transparency, hold Prime Minister Justin Trudeau to account, and review his false starts and fresh initiatives. That’s hard
Opinion | BY KEN RUBIN | March 23, 2020
Jean-Yves Duclos is president of the Treasury Board, and in charge of the government's management of the access to information regime. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

Upcoming access to information changes? It’s a secret 

Opinion | BY KEN RUBIN | March 23, 2020
  • OTTAWA—A minority Parliament should want greater transparency, hold Prime Minister Justin Trudeau to account, and review his false starts and fresh initiatives. That’s hard

Upcoming access to information changes? It’s a secret 

Opinion | BY KEN RUBIN | March 23, 2020
  • OTTAWA—A minority Parliament should want greater transparency, hold Prime Minister Justin Trudeau to account, and review his false starts and fresh initiatives. That’s hard
Jean-Yves Duclos is president of the Treasury Board, and in charge of the government's management of the access to information regime. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

Canada: unprepared for natural disasters

  • OTTAWA—The terrifying Australian bush fires is one of the more explosive events of increasing climate change emergencies. Here in Canada, two recently obtained sets
Opinion | BY KEN RUBIN | January 20, 2020
Military personnel, pictured April 30, 2019, trying to block the rising Ottawa River at Constance Bay, just outside of Ottawa. The Canadian Forces units were deployed to flood zones along the Ottawa River Valley last spring in response to record high water levels on both the Ontario and Quebec sides of the river. Canada needs to be less secretive and more transparent in its efforts to tackle emergencies and not hide its deficiencies in awakening to imminent risks posed by increasing natural disasters, writes Ken Rubin. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

Canada: unprepared for natural disasters

Opinion | BY KEN RUBIN | January 20, 2020
  • OTTAWA—The terrifying Australian bush fires is one of the more explosive events of increasing climate change emergencies. Here in Canada, two recently obtained sets

Canada: unprepared for natural disasters

Opinion | BY KEN RUBIN | January 20, 2020
  • OTTAWA—The terrifying Australian bush fires is one of the more explosive events of increasing climate change emergencies. Here in Canada, two recently obtained sets
Military personnel, pictured April 30, 2019, trying to block the rising Ottawa River at Constance Bay, just outside of Ottawa. The Canadian Forces units were deployed to flood zones along the Ottawa River Valley last spring in response to record high water levels on both the Ontario and Quebec sides of the river. Canada needs to be less secretive and more transparent in its efforts to tackle emergencies and not hide its deficiencies in awakening to imminent risks posed by increasing natural disasters, writes Ken Rubin. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

Shining a light on projects affecting the environment: do we get a choice?

  • OTTAWA—The environment will be a major issue this October. But one example access-to-information records reveal is how infrastructure funds and the chance of increased
Opinion | BY KEN RUBIN | September 16, 2019
Parks Canada, while downplaying the route as a road, had hoped the expanded trail would lead to a "reasonably priced" private bus shuttle service operating on the gravel roadway, but that has not as yet materialized. Initial work proceeded in 2017 and by the time critics twigged in, work was well underway. By 2018, the access trail work to the iconic fjord in 2018 included uprooting parts of a bog and vegetation and bringing in the crushed stone for the widened route, writes Ken Rubin. Photograph courtesy of Commons Wikimedia

Shining a light on projects affecting the environment: do we get a choice?

Opinion | BY KEN RUBIN | September 16, 2019
  • OTTAWA—The environment will be a major issue this October. But one example access-to-information records reveal is how infrastructure funds and the chance of increased

Shining a light on projects affecting the environment: do we get a choice?

Opinion | BY KEN RUBIN | September 16, 2019
  • OTTAWA—The environment will be a major issue this October. But one example access-to-information records reveal is how infrastructure funds and the chance of increased
Parks Canada, while downplaying the route as a road, had hoped the expanded trail would lead to a "reasonably priced" private bus shuttle service operating on the gravel roadway, but that has not as yet materialized. Initial work proceeded in 2017 and by the time critics twigged in, work was well underway. By 2018, the access trail work to the iconic fjord in 2018 included uprooting parts of a bog and vegetation and bringing in the crushed stone for the widened route, writes Ken Rubin. Photograph courtesy of Commons Wikimedia

Outdated privacy legislation goes to bureaucrats for review

  • OTTAWA—Privacy always tops the list of Canadians’ concerns. Yet, governments have been unwilling to really change Canada’s outdated public-sector Privacy Act and improve it
Opinion | BY KEN RUBIN | July 8, 2019
Bureaucrats at the Justice Department, overseen by Justice Minister David Lametti, are leading discussions on reforms to the Privacy Act, which governs the public sector and is badly in need of an update to reflect the realities of the digital age, writes Ken Rubin. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

Outdated privacy legislation goes to bureaucrats for review

Opinion | BY KEN RUBIN | July 8, 2019
  • OTTAWA—Privacy always tops the list of Canadians’ concerns. Yet, governments have been unwilling to really change Canada’s outdated public-sector Privacy Act and improve it

Outdated privacy legislation goes to bureaucrats for review

Opinion | BY KEN RUBIN | July 8, 2019
  • OTTAWA—Privacy always tops the list of Canadians’ concerns. Yet, governments have been unwilling to really change Canada’s outdated public-sector Privacy Act and improve it
Bureaucrats at the Justice Department, overseen by Justice Minister David Lametti, are leading discussions on reforms to the Privacy Act, which governs the public sector and is badly in need of an update to reflect the realities of the digital age, writes Ken Rubin. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

Three Trudeau ministers among those stalling access to information requests

  • OTTAWA—There comes a time, as the 2019 election looms, that the Trudeau government’s handling of access to information requests of public importance needs to
Opinion | BY KEN RUBIN | June 17, 2019
Innovation Minister Navdeep Bains is one of three members of the federal cabinet that Ken Rubin says aren't living up to their obligations to disclose information to the public, including information Mr. Bains' ministry has about expensive defence procurement projects overseen by Procurement Minister Carla Qualtrough, left. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

Three Trudeau ministers among those stalling access to information requests

Opinion | BY KEN RUBIN | June 17, 2019
  • OTTAWA—There comes a time, as the 2019 election looms, that the Trudeau government’s handling of access to information requests of public importance needs to

Three Trudeau ministers among those stalling access to information requests

Opinion | BY KEN RUBIN | June 17, 2019
  • OTTAWA—There comes a time, as the 2019 election looms, that the Trudeau government’s handling of access to information requests of public importance needs to
Innovation Minister Navdeep Bains is one of three members of the federal cabinet that Ken Rubin says aren't living up to their obligations to disclose information to the public, including information Mr. Bains' ministry has about expensive defence procurement projects overseen by Procurement Minister Carla Qualtrough, left. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

FCAC report on banking high-pressure sales practices fails smell test; Bill C-58 can only help facilitate more such sanitized government reports

  • OTTAWA—Bill C-58, the act to amend the Access to Information Act introduced in 2017 and passed with amendments by the Senate on May 7,
Opinion | BY KEN RUBIN | May 20, 2019
We need less, not more government hucksterism where the people are treated like suckers under the Access to Information Act, writes access and transparency advocate Ken Rubin. Photograph courtesy of Picpedia.Org/Nick Youngson

FCAC report on banking high-pressure sales practices fails smell test; Bill C-58 can only help facilitate more such sanitized government reports

Opinion | BY KEN RUBIN | May 20, 2019
  • OTTAWA—Bill C-58, the act to amend the Access to Information Act introduced in 2017 and passed with amendments by the Senate on May 7,

FCAC report on banking high-pressure sales practices fails smell test; Bill C-58 can only help facilitate more such sanitized government reports

Opinion | BY KEN RUBIN | May 20, 2019
  • OTTAWA—Bill C-58, the act to amend the Access to Information Act introduced in 2017 and passed with amendments by the Senate on May 7,
We need less, not more government hucksterism where the people are treated like suckers under the Access to Information Act, writes access and transparency advocate Ken Rubin. Photograph courtesy of Picpedia.Org/Nick Youngson

Judges win, Bill C-58 gets to top of Senate list for quick passage

  • OTTAWA—Judging from Senators’ recent, orchestrated cave-in removing the public from being able to see individual judges’ expenses, Canada’s Access to Information Act is well
Opinion | BY KEN RUBIN | April 29, 2019
Members of the Legal and Constitutional Affairs Committee, pictured The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

Judges win, Bill C-58 gets to top of Senate list for quick passage

Opinion | BY KEN RUBIN | April 29, 2019
  • OTTAWA—Judging from Senators’ recent, orchestrated cave-in removing the public from being able to see individual judges’ expenses, Canada’s Access to Information Act is well

Judges win, Bill C-58 gets to top of Senate list for quick passage

Opinion | BY KEN RUBIN | April 29, 2019
  • OTTAWA—Judging from Senators’ recent, orchestrated cave-in removing the public from being able to see individual judges’ expenses, Canada’s Access to Information Act is well
Members of the Legal and Constitutional Affairs Committee, pictured The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

Massive secrecy inroads and barriers to access near approval in the Senate

  • OTTAWA—The Senate Legal and Constitutional Committee is winding its way, clause by clause, through Bill C-58. But it’s already approved the most divisive change
Opinion | BY KEN RUBIN | April 1, 2019
Members of the Senate Committee on Legal and Constitutional Affairs, headed by Liberal Senator Serge Joyal, pictured on Oct. 3, 2018, at a hearing with then Treasury Board present Scott Brison to discuss Bill C-58. The Hill Times photographs by Andrew Meade

Massive secrecy inroads and barriers to access near approval in the Senate

Opinion | BY KEN RUBIN | April 1, 2019
  • OTTAWA—The Senate Legal and Constitutional Committee is winding its way, clause by clause, through Bill C-58. But it’s already approved the most divisive change

Massive secrecy inroads and barriers to access near approval in the Senate

Opinion | BY KEN RUBIN | April 1, 2019
  • OTTAWA—The Senate Legal and Constitutional Committee is winding its way, clause by clause, through Bill C-58. But it’s already approved the most divisive change
Members of the Senate Committee on Legal and Constitutional Affairs, headed by Liberal Senator Serge Joyal, pictured on Oct. 3, 2018, at a hearing with then Treasury Board present Scott Brison to discuss Bill C-58. The Hill Times photographs by Andrew Meade

Rediscovering the rent-free house next door to 24 Sussex Dr.

  • OTTAWA—Many Canadians just want to have an affordable, but interesting house to rent. One such desirable house happens to be on the grounds of
Opinion | BY KEN RUBIN | March 11, 2019
The former coach house at 10 Sussex Dr. is now used by the RCMP, writes Ken Rubin. Photograph courtesy of Google

Rediscovering the rent-free house next door to 24 Sussex Dr.

Opinion | BY KEN RUBIN | March 11, 2019
  • OTTAWA—Many Canadians just want to have an affordable, but interesting house to rent. One such desirable house happens to be on the grounds of

Rediscovering the rent-free house next door to 24 Sussex Dr.

Opinion | BY KEN RUBIN | March 11, 2019
  • OTTAWA—Many Canadians just want to have an affordable, but interesting house to rent. One such desirable house happens to be on the grounds of
The former coach house at 10 Sussex Dr. is now used by the RCMP, writes Ken Rubin. Photograph courtesy of Google

Secret deals preventing access to prime ministerial papers

  • Secret multi-million-dollar deals are being made with former prime ministers (or their executors) to obtain their papers for archival purposes, and to pay for
Opinion | BY KEN RUBIN | February 11, 2019
Former prime minister Brian Mulroney is one of several ex-PMs who have struck a deal with Library and Archives Canada to organize and donate records from their time in the office, to be kept secret for years. The Hill Times file photograph

Secret deals preventing access to prime ministerial papers

Opinion | BY KEN RUBIN | February 11, 2019
  • Secret multi-million-dollar deals are being made with former prime ministers (or their executors) to obtain their papers for archival purposes, and to pay for

Secret deals preventing access to prime ministerial papers

Opinion | BY KEN RUBIN | February 11, 2019
  • Secret multi-million-dollar deals are being made with former prime ministers (or their executors) to obtain their papers for archival purposes, and to pay for
Former prime minister Brian Mulroney is one of several ex-PMs who have struck a deal with Library and Archives Canada to organize and donate records from their time in the office, to be kept secret for years. The Hill Times file photograph

Another year, more government secrecy

  • OTTAWA—The new year brings with it at least four basic problems that put transparency under threat. Problem one: “pro-active” sanitized data and propaganda dominates
Opinion | BY KEN RUBIN | January 28, 2019
Treasury Board President Jane Philpott inherited stewardship of the government's access to information bill, C-58, and its transparency policies when she was shuffled into the role earlier this month. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

Another year, more government secrecy

Opinion | BY KEN RUBIN | January 28, 2019
  • OTTAWA—The new year brings with it at least four basic problems that put transparency under threat. Problem one: “pro-active” sanitized data and propaganda dominates

Another year, more government secrecy

Opinion | BY KEN RUBIN | January 28, 2019
  • OTTAWA—The new year brings with it at least four basic problems that put transparency under threat. Problem one: “pro-active” sanitized data and propaganda dominates
Treasury Board President Jane Philpott inherited stewardship of the government's access to information bill, C-58, and its transparency policies when she was shuffled into the role earlier this month. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

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