Clark government secrecy must end
Atroubling report by B.C.’s information and privacy commissioner we think implies that the Christy Clark Liberal government is systematically trying to do large portions of the people’s business in secret should be of great concern to all British Columbians.
Commissioner Elizabeth Denham found that a quarter of freedom-of-information requests sent to the B.C. government last year were returned blank because no records could be found. Showing an appalling lack of leadership about the importance of government transparency, records could not be found in 45 per cent of FOI requests to Clark’s office.
Denham said her investigation found that officials in Clark’s office destroyed records and conducted business by phone. That meant they avoided creating records that could later be read by journalists or other members of the public. The current “Ethnic-Gate” scandal has also revealed that senior government officials used private emails to keep secret the work they conduct for taxpayers.
“The lack of documentation undermines the ability of citizens, journalists and the public to understand the basis for government’s actions,” Denham said in calling for laws that would force the B.C. government to keep records.
Premiers like Clark would do well to remember that they are not running their own personal fiefdoms; they are temporarily running the government of the people of B.C., who have a right to know about their decisions and policies.
“A person may be very secretive and yet have no secrets.”
— Elbert Hubbard, U.S. author, (1856-1915)