E-7284: Petition to the President of the Treasury Board — Canadian Petition Tracker
Canonical URL: https://petitiontracker.ca/petition/e-7284
Track petition E-7284 — "Petition to the President of the Treasury Board" sponsored by Stephanie Kusie. 1,154 signatures and counting. See signature growth trends and provincial breakdown on PetitionTracker.ca.
Petition Text
Petition to the President of the Treasury Board
Whereas:
• the Access to Information Act is a vital tool for journalists, parliamentarians, and Canadians to hold the government accountable;
• the President of the Treasury Board has a legislative duty to review the Access to Information Act to ensure it is serving Canadians well;
• the current Act has been heavily criticized about delays and exemptions which allow the government to withhold and control the release of information;
• proposed changes to the Act by the government could further limit Canadians' access to information; and
• the Information Commissioner of Canada has expressed "reservations" and disappointment with proposed changes to the Act.
We, the undersigned, citizens and residents of Canada, call upon the President of the Treasury Board to 1. Use the legislative review of the Access to Information Act to address the most pressing issues, such as unacceptable delays;
2. Remove proposals which seek to dampen transparency and accountability such as those altering the definition of "official record" to exclude emails and text messages;
3. Provide Canadians with objective and proven data and rationale justifying proposed changes to the Act; and
4. Wholly and transparently consult and seek input from the independent Information Commissioner of Canada regarding any proposed legislative amendments to the Act.