Wall government needs to improve public’s access to basic information

By law, you have to pay taxes.

But unfortunately, there’s no law that says the government has to explain to you how those funds are being used. Actually, there’s a law, but it’s so full of holes that you can drive a truck through it.

Transparency is a pretty simple concept with which most people would probably agree. However, it is one area where the Brad Wall government needs to improve.

Journalists, members of the public and non-profit watchdog groups such as the Canadian Taxpayers Federation (CTF) use Freedom of Information legislation (passed by all provincial governments and the federal government) to investigate government activities nationwide. In short, the legislation allows people to fill out simple forms and obtain documents from the government.

However, the process isn’t always straightforward. There are many clauses in the legislation that allow the government to withhold information. Some are understandable as you shouldn’t be able to get your neighbour’s health records, a business’s private information or military secrets.

The problem in Saskatchewan is that the bureaucracy is using excuse clauses in the legislation too often and the spirit of the act isn’t being followed. As a result, basic information is being withheld.

Consider the case of the Regina Bypass initiative — a massive roadway project that the government touts as “the largest transportation infrastructure project in Saskatchewan’s history.” Given the significance of the billion-dollar roadway plan, one would expect the government to be transparent with most of the details – especially as this project is hardly a sensitive matter unlike a military document related to defending Canada’s borders.

Disappointingly, the Wall government hasn’t been too transparent with details related to the project. Back in April, the CTF started to look into the bypass plan after people watching the initiative closely told us that the chosen design could cost $100 million more than necessary.

We asked the government for briefing notes or presentations provided to the minister of Highways. Such documents would likely outline the pros and cons, as well as costs, for each design option for the project. The government responded by claiming the documents were confidential.

While we did receive some information through other requests, many details were blacked out. The lack of disclosure was quite absurd.

Another great example of the government failing to be transparent involves information requests we filed to find out how it is preparing for Canada’s aging demographic. In particular, we wanted to know the financial impact for the health-care system and what the government had forecast.

Incredibly, the government responded with 72 pages of information, but blacked out 66 of the pages.

Make no mistake, the Wall government didn’t create the Freedom of Information legislation. It has been around for decades and governments of all political stripes across the country have used excuse clauses to keep reasonable info secret.

But what the Wall government should do is to improve the legislation. It should look at ways to restrict the use of excuse clauses and give Saskatchewan’s information commissioner the power to force bureaucrats to release information. The government could also look at proactively releasing more reports in the first place.

If you like the idea of watchdogs having access to more government information, then start hounding your local MLA to act on these concerns.

Remind him or her that you don’t have any choice but to pay your taxes, so the government shouldn’t have any choice but to tell you what it is doing with the money.