News
Ontario's Transparency Changes Criticized for Reducing Access and Security
Ontario's proposed changes to access to information laws, which would exclude records of the premier, cabinet ministers, and parliamentary assistants, are drawing criticism. The Information and Privacy Commissioner says the changes will make the province more secretive and less secure, and out of step with other Canadian jurisdictions.
The Ontario government announced it would rewrite its access to information laws to retroactively exclude records belonging to the premier, cabinet ministers, parliamentary assistants, and their staff. The government has stated that the changes are a long-overdue update to 40-year-old legislation, with Stephen Crawford, the minister for public and business service delivery and procurement, saying the province would be in line with most other Canadian provinces and the federal government. Information and Privacy Commissioner Patricia Kosseim told Global News that the proposed changes would put Ontario in the minority of Canadian jurisdictions. Kosseim stated that the changes would take an extreme approach.
Key Facts
- Ontario is rewriting its access to information laws.
- The changes would retroactively exclude records of the premier, cabinet ministers, and parliamentary assistants.
- The government says the update to the 40-year-old legislation is overdue.
- Minister Stephen Crawford says the changes would align Ontario with most Canadian provinces and the federal government.
- Information and Privacy Commissioner Patricia Kosseim says the changes would put Ontario in the minority of Canadian jurisdictions.
- Kosseim says the changes would take an extreme approach.
- The law would exclude political records from transparency and privacy rules.
Primary Source
Research Sources
- Global News — Watchdog says transparency crackdown will make Ontario more secret and less secure