(OTTAWA) The federal minister responsible for the much-criticized access to information system says her goal is to improve service amid growing calls to go further and rewrite the transparency law.
In an interview on Friday, Treasury Board President Mona Fortier explained that her priority is better administration of the Access to Information Actnot a legislative overhaul.
A House of Commons committee released a report this week in which opposition MPs recommend changes to the law to close loopholes that prevent the disclosure of information. They also said penalties should be imposed when responses to requests are late.
The federal Freedom of Information Act allows people who pay five dollars to request a range of government records, but many say this system is slow and inefficient.
Government agencies should respond to requests within 30 days or provide valid reasons why more time is needed.
The law hasn’t been fully overhauled since it was introduced 40 years ago, and users have complained of long delays, heavily masked documents or outright denials in response to their requests.
Mona Fortier said the government is focusing on improvements to the online portal for making applications, improved recruitment and training of employees who process applications, and better guidance for federal agencies on the law.
“My current priority is really to improve the administration of the existing law and make it easier for Canadians, particularly employees, to access the information they seek,” she said. If we don’t focus on the administrative process, we won’t be able to make the next changes, I believe. »
In her recent annual report, Information Commissioner Caroline Maynard noted that since taking office five years ago, she had “observed the steady decline of the access to information system to the point where it no longer serves its purpose.
The commissioner, ombudsman for users of the law, said money to strengthen the system has evaporated, commitments to transparency have disappeared from ministerial mandate letters, and it is clear that the improving transparency is not a priority for the government.
Mme Maynard noted that despite calls for meaningful change, a federal review concluded with a report last December that outlined no firm commitments and offered no legislative reform. This report was just one in a long series of studies and reviews.
In this week’s Commons committee report, opposition MPs said the Access to Information Act should be amended to limit extensions of time to respond to requests to a maximum of 60 days at the beyond the initial 30-day window, unless the Information Commissioner authorizes more time.
They also called for the application of the access to information law to the Prime Minister’s Office and his staff, as well as the reduction of exemptions in the law which currently limit the disclosure of information concerning advice from officials and personal data.