MINISTERS ANNOUNCE MEMBERSHIP OF COMMITTEE TO ADVISE THE ACCESS TO INFORMATION REVIEW TASK FORCE

OTTAWA, May 8, 2001  – The Honourable Lucienne Robillard, President of the Treasury Board of Canada, Minister responsible for Infrastructure and Member of Parliament for Westmount – Ville-Marie, and the Honourable Anne McLellan, Minister of Justice, Attorney General of Canada and Member of Parliament for Edmonton West, today announced the membership of an external advisory committee to provide advice and make recommendations to the Access to Information Review Task Force.

The Access to Information Review Task Force was established in August 2000 to conduct a comprehensive review of the Access to Information Act and its administration.

"The Government of Canada is committed to ensuring Canadians have access to information through an effective process," said Minister Robillard. "The External Advisory Committee has been established to assist the Task Force in developing recommendations on improving the access to information system in the federal government."

The External Advisory Committee is mandated to provide the Task Force with an external perspective on the full spectrum of access issues, and to act as a sounding board for ideas and proposals.

The Committee includes individuals from academia, the legal profession, business, and the media. They have all distinguished themselves in their respective fields. They are: Mr. Dean Beeby, Mr. Paul-André Comeau, Mr. Norman Hillmer, Mr. Arthur Kroeger, Ms. Aldéa Landry, Mr. Gaétan Lussier, Mr. Wayne MacDonald, and Mr. Paul Thomas. Mr. Roger Tassé, will act as facilitator at the Committee's meetings. Short biographies are attached.

"The Government of Canada is committed to providing Canadians with an open and effective government and to supporting an informed citizenry. The work of the Task Force and the perspective of the Advisory Committee will help the government to modernize the Access to Information Act and how it is administered," Minister McLellan said.

The Access to Information Review Task Force has been consulting within the public service and with provinces, and other national governments, to identify best practices and significant issues, and to gather data. Organizations, groups, and individuals interested in access issues are also being consulted. Written submissions are being encouraged from the public. Additional information is available on the Task Force's web site at www.atirtf-geai.gc.ca .

The Access to Information Review Task Force may issue interim reports during its mandate, and is scheduled to issue a final report and recommendations in the fall of 2001.

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For more information, contact:

Russell Milon
Press Secretary
Office of the President of the Treasury Board
of Canada and Minister responsible for Infrastructure
(613) 957-2666

Farah Mohamed
Director of Communications
Office of the Minister of Justice and Attorney General
(613) 992-4621

Mary Anne Stevens
Director
Access to Information Review Task Force
(613) 957-2485

Marjorie Ward
Communications Coordinator
Access to Information Review Task Force
(613) 946-6196

TTY (Telecommunications device for the hearing impaired)
(613) 957-9090