Right to Know Week in Canada

– September 28^th to October 5^th, 2007 –

Welcome to the Canadian Right to Know Week temporary website. While the permanent website www.righttoknow.ca is under construction, this page will act as the portal to gain access to all of the activities planned at the federal, provincial and territorial level. This may be done by clicking on the links found below.

Around the world, September 28th is celebrated as International Right to Know Day. This began in Sofia, Bulgaria at an international meeting of access to information advocates who proposed that September 28th be dedicated to the promotion of freedom of information worldwide.

The goal is to raise citizens’ awareness level about their right of access to information under the control of government institutions. These celebrations are aimed towards the citizenry, a non specialized clientele.

“…to collaborate in promotion of the individual right of access to information and open, transparent governance. The group of FOI Advocates also proposed that 28 September be nominated as international “Right to Know Day” in order to symbolize the global movement for promotion of the right to information. The aim of having a Right to Know Day is to raise awareness of the right to information. It is a day on which freedom of information activists from around the world can use further to promote this fundamental human right and to campaign for open, democratic societies in which there is full citizen empowerment and participation in government.” (www.righttoknowday.net/index_eng.php)

The RTK week is celebrated in Canada to promote the right to information as a fundamental human right and to campaign for citizen participation in open, democratic societies.

Last year was Canada’s first Right to Know Week and for this occasion all jurisdictions organized activities during that week. Conferences, luncheon and panel discussions, public forums, award ceremony, free workshops, essay contest were some of the activities organized last year.

For 2007, we have dedicated multiple days, more particularly the week of September 28th to October 5th. However, as you will see by following the links below, some activities will start as early as September 24th, 2007.

For further information on the activities planned in your jurisdiction, follow the links below.

Over the years, there have emerged certain principles that form the core of the
right to know. They are expressed well by the Open Society Justice Initiative,
formed with other organizations in honour of the Right to Know Day
celebrations in 2003. These ten principles are:

1. Access to information is a right of everyone.
2. Access is the rule – secrecy is the exception!
3. The right applies to all public bodies.
4. Making requests should be simple, speedy, and free.
5. Officials have a duty to assist requestors.
6. Refusals must be justified.
7. The public interest takes precedence over secrecy.
8. Everyone has the right to appeal an adverse decision.
9. Public bodies should proactively publish core information.
10. The right should be guaranteed by an independent body.

Canada has come a long way to fulfill these principles.