Annual Report - FY 2003/2004

Ottawa, Ontario

[2004-10-6]

Canada’s Information Commissioner, the Honourable John M. Reid, P.C., today tabled in Parliament, and made public, his annual report for the 2003-2004 fiscal year. The report could not be released as usual in June because Parliament had been prorogued for the general election.

The report comes at an important, transitional moment for any access law – a change of government. "While governments tend to make skeptics of Information Commissioners", said Reid, "I am cautiously optimistic". The Commissioner noted that Prime Minister Martin came to office with an express intention to improve the quality of Canada’s democracy – including the transparency of its federal government institutions. He finds the early signs positive that the Martin government might be able to beat the addiction previous governments have had to secrecy. "A vibrant access law", said Reid, "is a key ingredient to the recipe for ensuring accountable government."

To assist the new government in overcoming a long standing culture of secrecy, the Commissioner urged the new Prime Minister to take a leadership role in urging ministers and bureaucrats to seek ways to disclose information rather than the reverse. The Commissioner urged the new Prime Minister to avoid being captured by the myths about widespread abuse of the access law. The important facts to bear in mind are these:

1. Canadians are highly responsible users of the right of access.
2. Relatively few Canadians make use of the access law.
3. Canadians make focused requests for small numbers of records.
4. Less than 10% of requests result in complaints to the Information Commissioner.
5. The total cost of the entire system of access, government-wide, including the Commissioner’s office, is less than one dollar per year per Canadian.

Again, this year’s report points to the crisis in information management as being the biggest challenge we face in ensuring open, accountable, and effective government. The Commissioner urges the new government to make finding a solution one of its highest priorities.

The report is available upon request from the Office of the Information Commissioner of Canada at (613) 995-2410, or 1 (800) 267-0441, and on this website.