Early Exposure
Author:
Mark Milke
1998/07/19
EDMONTON: The Alberta division of the Canadian Taxpayers Federation (CTF) today publicly released its recent submission to the Select Special Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act Review Committee.
The CTF recommends:
That Cabinet and Treasury Board secrecy be ended after five years (with a subsequent five-year discretionary exemption) as opposed to the current fifteen-year mandatory exemption from the Freedom of Information and Privacy Act.
"Five years worth of cabinet secrecy is time enough to allow for candid conversation and the preservation of collective ministerial responsibility," said CTF Alberta director Mark Milke. "Albertans should not, for example, have to wait until 2012 to find out why Cabinet liked the idea of giving money to Calgary's Expo 2005 bid."
That MLA office expenses - past and present and future - be subject to the Act.
"Since all MLAs have already released their expenses for 1997, it's a no-brainer that such disclosure be legally mandated for future - and past - expenses," argued Milke.
That there be no increase in the fees charged for FOIP requests.
That copies of provincial department manuals, directives, guidelines, or policy books be made available electronically and through official government sources such as the Queen's Printer.
That intergovernmental discussions be made available in a manner similar to the suggested provisions regarding Cabinet and Treasury Board, though only after intergovernmental agreement.