Tag Archive: Freedom of Information

Stack of papers with a magnifying glass resting on them

Time to end information hide-and-seek games: Public deserves more prompt government disclosure of basic data

Nov 16, 2023

No one should be told to file a Freedom of Information request simply to learn who works for them. Government must give members of the public access to up-to-date and useful information on who is there to serve them and quit obfuscating and abusing access to information laws, Ben Parfitt writes…. View Article

Do you want a more transparent, accountable government? Tell them so!

Mar 19, 2018

By Keith Reynolds

The story goes that Franklin Delano Roosevelt once met with a group of activists who wanted bold action. He listened and then said, “You’ve convinced me. Now go out and make me do it.” BC’s new government is holding a consultation on updating our Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy legislation. On the basis… View Article

Why BC’s new government should make Freedom of Information reform a top priority

Aug 31, 2017

By Keith Reynolds

When a political party returns to power after an absence of 16 years, it is going to have a lot of priorities and will encounter a lot of people advocating for particular issues. That will mean some tough choices about how these priorities are scheduled. I am going to suggest that one of the top… View Article

Penticton’s peculiar policy on freedom of information

Sep 30, 2016

By Keith Reynolds

This is International Right to Know Week, a week in honour of the public’s right to information held by their governments. The week is being celebrated in different ways in the 105 countries around the world with right to information laws. Here in British Columbia the City of Penticton is celebrating it in a spectacularly disappointing… View Article

Changes to FOI law a chance for the BC legislature to improve trust in government

Jan 19, 2016

By Keith Reynolds

Every six years the BC legislature reviews the provisions of the province’s Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act and makes recommendations for changes. The Special Committee to Review the Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act held hearings on the legislation in the autumn and will be taking further submissions until January… View Article

The diminishing of access to government information – and some things to do about it

Sep 1, 2015

By Keith Reynolds

Freedom of Information legislation (FOI), or Access to Information (ATI) as it is known at the federal level in Canada, was a pretty important addition to government accountability when it became law in jurisdictions across Canada. The Supreme Court of Canada described freedom of information legislation as a pillar of our democracy that provides citizens… View Article

Open government a Cabinet secret declares BC Minister

May 7, 2011

By Keith Reynolds

I love reading Estimates debates in the legislature. It is a rare opportunity for Opposition critics to grill their assigned Cabinet Ministers at length. Sometimes the oddest things come out. On Wednesday the NDP Critic Doug Routley was questioning the Minister for Citizen Services and Open Government Stephanie Cadieux. It turns out that following up on… View Article

A progressive take on BC issues

A progressive take on BC issues

Tag Archive: Freedom of Information

Time to end information hide-and-seek games: Public deserves more prompt government disclosure of basic data

Do you want a more transparent, accountable government? Tell them so!

Why BC’s new government should make Freedom of Information reform a top priority

Penticton’s peculiar policy on freedom of information

Changes to FOI law a chance for the BC legislature to improve trust in government

The diminishing of access to government information – and some things to do about it

Open government a Cabinet secret declares BC Minister