Trudeau gov’t routinely goes to court to block access to information requests, watchdog says
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The House of Commons Ethics Committee was told by the Office of the Information Commissioner Caroline Maynard that certain government institutions ‘routinely violate’ the law by blocking Canadians’ access to information they have a right to obtain.
(LifeSiteNews) –– Canada’s information commissioner has revealed that the Trudeau government has forced her agency to spend thousands in extra legal fees because federal departments continue to file legal challenges in an attempt to block the release of access to information requests, despite such information being a “constitutional right.”
On Monday, the House of Commons Ethics Committee was informed by the Office of the Information Commissioner Caroline Maynard that certain government institutions “now routinely violate” the law surrounding freedom of information requests, and they do so “on a daily basis.”
According to Blacklock’s Reporter, Maynard said that “We are in a place where information is key,” adding that “Canadians” today “don’t trust governments.”
“We need information to be factual, timely and provided to them,” she insisted.
The Office of the Information Commissioner is an independent body that supports Canadians who are not satisfied with how their information requests have been processed. Under law, all Canadians have a legal right to request information from federal institutions.
Canada’s Access to Information Act allows Maynard to issue binding orders that pertain to federal managers who do not want public records disclosed.
According to Maynard, she issued “157 orders” just last year.