The Canadian Taxpayers Federation is calling on Ontario Premier Doug Ford to scrap his plan to hide government records following a Leger poll showing most Ontarians oppose the change.

“The poll shows that Ontarians do not want Ford restricting their right to know what the government is doing and how its spending their money,” said Noah Jarvis, CTF Ontario Director. “Ford is vandalizing Ontario’s FOI law, but Ontarians can see right through this charade,” 

The Ford government is trying to stop the premier, cabinet ministers, parliamentary secretaries and their offices from being subject to freedom of information requests by amending Ontario’s Freedom of Information And Protection of Privacy Act.

The revisions will also extend the FOI response timeline from 30 to 45 days.

The Leger poll asked Ontarians if they support excluding the premier and cabinet ministers’ records from FOI requests. Results of the poll show:
•    61 per cent oppose Ford’s FOI changes
•    19 per cent support Ford’s FOI changes
•    20 per cent are unsure

Among those decided on the issue, 77 per cent of Ontarians oppose the FOI changes. 

The Ford government plans on passing its amendments to Ontario’s FOI law in its budget implementation bill.

“Ford is trying to shield his government from accountability against the wishes of the vast majority of Ontarians,” said Jarvis. “Ford needs to immediately back down from his attack on government transparency.”