  Strengthening access to information legislation 
The context
Access to government information allows Canadians and organizations to participate more fully in public policy development and better assess the Government of Canada's performance.
The current Access to Information Act sets out the right of Canadians to access information that the Government of Canada holds, with limited exceptions.
Many groups and individuals, including the Information Commissioner, have been calling for changes to the access law to make government more open.
What this means for Canadians
By expanding the coverage of the Access to Information Act, the Government will become more transparent and more open. It will provide Canadians with access to more information
from Crown corporations, Agents of Parliament, and government-funded foundations. At the same time, the Government will explore ways to further strengthen access to information
legislation in consultation with parliamentarians and Canadians to ensure that their concerns receive careful attention.
The Action Plan
To promote a culture of openness and accessibility, the Government will strengthen access to information legislation. Specifically, the Federal Accountability Act
will:
- expand the coverage of the Access to Information Act to the following Agents of Parliament, Crown corporations, and foundations created under federal statute:
Agents of Parliament
- Office of the Information Commissioner
- Office of the Privacy Commissioner
- Office of the Commissioner of Official Languages
- Office of the Chief Electoral Officer
- Office of the Auditor General
- Office of the Public Sector Integrity Commissioner
- Office of the Commissioner of Lobbying
Crown corporations
- Canada Post
- Via Rail
- Canadian Broadcasting Corporation
- Atomic Energy of Canada
- Export Development Canada
- National Arts Centre
- Public Service Pension Investment Board
Foundations created under federal statute
- Canada Foundation for Innovation
- Canada Foundation for Sustainable Development Technology
- Canada Millennium Scholarship Foundation
- provide a duty for institutions to assist requesters without regard for their identity, and clarify the time limit for making a complaint under the ATIA.
In addition, the Government tabled a separate draft bill that reflects the Information Commissioner's recommendations, along with a
discussion paper to highlight a variety of
issues and options for discussion.
For more information
For more information on this specific measure, please refer to the relevant section of the Action Plan, or contact us. |
