CCLA Makes Submissions to the Federal Review of the Access to Information Act

The CCLA believes that a strong access to information regime is crucial to a vibrant democracy. Information about how our government functions assists people in making informed choices at the ballot box, participating meaningfully in policy discussions, and is a way to ensure that those in government are held accountable for their decisions.

Like many civil society groups, the CCLA has repeatedly called for significant amendments to the Access to Information Act and, more broadly, for changes to how our access scheme works in practice. The federal government has undertaken a review of the Access to Information Act and has solicited feedback from the public. CCLA believes that the current government review is, to a large extent, unnecessary. The reforms needed to improve our system have been known for years and are the subject of extensive recommendations made by many, including the Information Commissioner of Canada and the House of Commons Standing Committee on Access to Information, Privacy and Ethics. CCLA believes that immediate, meaningful and ambitious reform of our access system is imperative. CCLA’s submissions to the federal review highlight some key priority areas.

You can review the submissions here.