Access to information laws don’t apply to ministers’ offices
In a landmark unanimous ruling issued on Friday, the Supreme Court decided the Canadian public does not have the right to access sensitive information held by public officials like the prime minister and cabinet ministers. The ruling, written by Justice Louise Charron, held that such an expansion of the Access to Information Act “can only be achieved by Parliament.” The decision followed the rejection of requests by opposition politicians and the media for access to minutes, agendas, e-mails and day timers that related largely to former prime minister Jean Chrétien’s use of government aircraft, and to high-level national defence meetings.