Access to Information

Topic: Access to Information


Canada’s food safety agency warns it couldn’t handle multiple emergencies

Canada’s food safety agency doubts it could adequately protect the food supply in the next two years if the country is hit with several concurrent emergencies, such as animal disease outbreaks or food safety recalls. The problem is exacerbated by climate change, with the agency warning the crisis could impact its infrastructure while boosting the […]

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Puerto Rico governor signs bill that critics say will restrict access to public information

SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico (AP) — Puerto Rico Gov. Jenniffer González signed a polemic bill on Sunday that critics say is a blow to democracy and will make it more difficult to access public information in a U.S. territory long known for its lack of government transparency. González said the bill amends an existing law […]

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First segment of high-speed rail project to connect Montreal and Ottawa

The first segment of the federal government’s proposed high-speed rail project will connect Montreal and Ottawa, acting as a test case for a multibillion-dollar infrastructure project intended to transform rail travel in Canada’s most densely populated region. Transport Minister Steven MacKinnon said Friday that connecting Ontario and Quebec was the “logical” first step for the […]

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Ottawa hands corporate leaders 50 roles in government

Ottawa plans to embed 50 corporate leaders in key government roles after adopting a business group’s proposal — even naming the program after them, a briefing note reveals. Build Canada, funded by major Canadian tech and industry players, proposed changes to a federal program that would quickly embed 50 business executives in the federal public […]

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Councillors question bringing Aurora’s Procedural Bylaw in line with Strong Mayor Powers

A recommendation for Council to adopt an updated Procedural Bylaw governing how meetings are run, bringing it in line with Strong Mayor powers, sparked a debate at last week’s Committee of the Whole meeting. Supporters of the recommended changes before lawmakers last week stated Council does not currently have a Procedural Bylaw in line with […]

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Why northern First Nations still rely on diesel fuel — and what could power the coveted Ring of Fire

The fumes coming through the walls of Neskantaga First Nation’s nursing station warned of a crisis with a familiar smell. Diesel wafted from the flooded basement, a stench so strong it made people sick with headaches and nausea, residents said.  After they detected the scent, the building was shut down and with it the community’s […]

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Inside the Ring of Fire: A tale of two First Nations and a road that could change everything

I. THE WARNING The ancestors knew. First Nation elders understood the south would march north eventually. They knew it would come in waves, sometimes slow, sometimes fast. Those ancestors told their kids, who told theirs, and so on until today. The south has already carved many changes. Decades ago, Webequie First Nation and Neskantaga First […]

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Major procedural changes set in motion for Crowsnest Pass council

Crowsnest Pass municipal council has opened the door to major procedural changes, voting to draft amendments to its meeting bylaw that could affect how the public speaks to council, how meetings are scheduled and how councillors receive correspondence. The discussion took place during the Nov. 25 regular council meeting, where Coun. Doreen Johnson asked council […]

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Justice Department can unseal Ghislaine Maxwell sex trafficking case records, judge says

NEW YORK (AP) — A federal judge on Tuesday granted the Justice Department’s request to publicly release grand jury transcripts and other material from Ghislaine Maxwell’s sex trafficking case, citing a new law that requires the government to open its files on Jeffrey Epstein and his longtime confidant, but he cautioned that people shouldn’t expect […]

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EU leader warns of US interference in Europe’s affairs as Russia praises Trump’s security vision

BRUSSELS (AP) — A top European Union official on Monday warned the United States against interfering in Europe’s affairs and said only European citizens can decide which parties should govern them. European Council President António Costa’s remarks came in reaction to the Trump administration’s new national security strategy, which was published on Friday and paints […]

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City, province knew for weeks that a system to filter harmful toxins was disconnected but left public in the dark, FOI reveals

On October 28, officials at the City of St. Catharines knew the filtration system designed to prevent highly toxic chemicals from leaching into the former GM property on Ontario Street and the surrounding area was no longer functional, but for weeks they have failed to tell the public. A freedom of information request by The […]

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The Supreme Court seems likely to back Trump’s power to fire independent agency board members

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Supreme Court on Monday seemed likely to expand presidential control over independent federal agencies, signaling support for President Donald Trump’s firing of board members. The court’s conservative majority suggested it would overturn a unanimous 90-year-old decision that has limited when presidents can fire agencies’ board members, or leave it with only […]

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