Media group condemns access to information legislation

An organization that represents the interests of newspapers across Canada is concerned how proposed amendments to the province’s access to information legislation will affect the public.

“What we see so far is very concerning to us,” said Jason Grier, senior adviser on policy and public affairs for Newspapers Canada.

“Access to information, in our view, is a vital right for citizens and the media.”

The amendments, introduced on Monday by Justice Minister Felix Collins, would place many government documents beyond the grasp of current access to information parameters.

It will expand the type of documents the government can label as “cabinet documents” and introduce additional reasons to refuse a request for information.

Newspapers Canada is a joint initiative between the Canadian Newspapers Association and the Canadian Community Newspapers Association.

“Just as I was going through it initially, I was really surprised by the extent to which they were rolling back access to the public to vital government information,” said Grier.

Of particular concern, he said, is the amount of discretionary power the proposed amendments will give to cabinet ministers in deciding what information will or will not be released publicly.

“I think there is an inherent conflict of interest with respect to that authority and the kinds of information that we’re talking about,” said Grier. “Certainly, you would hate to think governments would use those powers to avoid embarrassment.”

Ultimately, he said access to information is a matter of accountability for government to the public. Grier believes it can play an important role in good governance.

“The government is better served when ultimately people have access to that information, because it results in better deci- sions. Sometimes, the media are the ones, through access to information requests, who shed light on issues that the government itself may not have been aware of or wrapped their heads around, and it’s caused government to make course corrections.”

On Monday, Collins told reporters the government is looking at precedents set in other parts of Canada with regards to access to information.

Looking at the proposed legislation, Grier said it appears to back away from access principles that benefit the public.

“We’d like to see greater access to information for the public and the media in order to hold government accountable to their public. I don’t see a strong rationale for what they’re doing.”

In Newspapers Canada's National Freedom of Information Audit for 2011, the province received a B grade in both speed and completeness.

Fred Vallance-Jones, an assistant professor of journalism at King's College in Halifax, told The Telegram at the time of the audit’s release that the B grade was “a marginal B, right along the 75 per cent line.”

Grier said his group is still analyzing the proposed amendments and expects to have more to say about them in the days ahead.