General

Harper government given failing grade for openness

Study finds federal institutions routinely flout access to information laws

A report by the Canadian Journalists for Free Expression has given Stephen Harper’s government a grade of F-minus grade for its openness for the second straight year. “More than half of the federal institutions surveyed for their performance on access to information ranked below average and five failed outright,” the report states. “The governing party was ruled in contempt of Parliament for failing to produce information about major spending programs.” According to the report, 44 per cent of access to information requests aren’t met within legally prescribed deadlines and it take more than a year to resolve an ATI complaint.

Toronto Star

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