Trudeau must do more to promote openness, information czar says
OTTAWA — Prime Minister Justin Trudeau is failing to deliver on his promise of a government that’s open by default, the federal information czar says.
The law that’s intended to give Canadians access to government files is being used instead as a shield against transparency, information commissioner Suzanne Legault said in her annual report tabled Thursday.
Legault said her investigations reveal the Access to Information Act is failing to foster accountability and trust.
The act allows people who pay $5 to ask for everything from expense reports and audits to correspondence and briefing notes. Requests are supposed to be answered within 30 days and agencies must have legitimate reasons for taking longer.