Access to Information

Topic: Access to Information


Russia ‘will not forgive’ US denial of journalist visas

MOSCOW (AP) — Russia said Sunday that the United States has denied visas to journalists who wanted to cover Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov’s trip to New York, and Lavrov suggested that Moscow would take strong retaliatory measures. There was no immediate comment from the U.S. State Department about the claim of refused visas. The journalists […]

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Russian race car driver heads to Federal Court over Canadian sanctions

OTTAWA — A Russian race-car driver is taking Canada to court, saying sanctions imposed against him following Moscow’s invasion of Ukraine are unfairly hurting his career. Nikita Mazepin, a former Formula One driver, wants the Federal Court to direct Foreign Affairs Minister Melanie Joly to take immediate steps to remove him from the Canadian sanctions […]

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Defence Department expecting clarity on cost of new warship fleet later this year

OTTAWA — The Defence Department’s procurement chief is hoping to have a better sense by the end of the year as to how much Canada will have to pay to build a new fleet of warships for the Royal Canadian Navy. In an interview with The Canadian Press, assistant deputy minister of materiel Troy Crosby […]

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Calls grow for Newfoundland police to reckon with sexual assault claims, culture

ST. JOHN’S, N.L. — As a Royal Newfoundland Constabulary officer heads to jail for sexual assault, calls are growing for the force to reckon with mounting allegations against its officers, and commit to changing its culture. “The fact that there have been so many women who have come forward suggests that there’s a culture problem […]

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Scenic N.S. town looking to sell historic 1890s schoolhouse, says can’t afford upkeep

LUNENBURG, N.S. — A prominent former schoolhouse in the scenic Nova Scotia town of Lunenburg is up for sale because the community can’t afford the costs of maintaining the national historic site. Lunenburg Academy, which dates back to 1895, is a three-storey Victorian-style building often referred to as the castle on the hill. The building […]

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Minister’s sister in law steps down as ethics watchdog after committee launches probe

OTTAWA — The sister-in-law of a Liberal cabinet minister has stepped down as the interim ethics commissioner a day after a House of Commons committee agreed to investigate her appointment. Martine Richard, who has worked in the commissioner’s office as a lawyer since 2013, took over the top job last month for a six-month stint. […]

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Federal workers are now on strike. Here are the services that may be affected

OTTAWA — More than 155,000 public servants are now on strike after the country’s biggest federal public-sector union and the government failed to reach a deal by a Tuesday evening deadline. Federal departments and agencies have released a list of services that may be disrupted during the strike. Here’s an updated list of what services […]

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Ontario tells court of ‘unwarranted incursion’ into cabinet in mandate letters case

OTTAWA — The Ontario government is telling the country’s top court the disclosure of ministerial mandate letters would reveal the substance of deliberations of the premier and his cabinet — breaching a key tenet of Westminster-style government. In a written brief filed with the Supreme Court of Canada, the Ontario attorney general says cabinet confidentiality, […]

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Liberal minister promises plan on Access to Information as MPs highlight woes

OTTAWA — Treasury Board President Mona Fortier says she hopes to share a plan in coming months for improving the key federal transparency law and how it is managed. Fortier told a House of Commons committee Tuesday she expects the plan for making the Access to Information Act more effective will come before the end […]

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Ministerial mandate letter fight about accountable government, CBC lawyer tells court

OTTAWA — The CBC’s fight to see mandate letters for Ontario cabinet ministers goes to “the very core” of what freedom-of-information regimes are designed to foster, a lawyer for the public broadcaster told the country’s top court Tuesday. These elements are an informed public, accountable government and, ultimately, the democratic process, Justin Safayeni argued in […]

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FIPA at ETHI

ETHI is short for the Standing Committee on Access to Information, Privacy and Ethics. This Committee has been holding meetings on the Access to Information and Privacy System. President Mike Larsen presented FIPAs perspective on these important topics. Tuesday, April 18, 2023 Ken Rubin, David Matas and Mike Larsen made statements and, with Michael Wenig answered […]

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File No. 40078 Supreme Court of Canada Intervention

2024.02.02 – The ruling is in read our review here. 2023.04.18 – Originally published In the case of Attorney General for Ontario v. Information and Privacy Commissioner of Ontario, et al. File No. 40078 FIPA was pleased to work with Sean Hern K.C. to intervene and fight to keep the public interest paramount. You might […]

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