Former Information Commissioner Robert Marleau presented the Commons Access to Information, Privacy and Ethics Committee with 12 recommendations that he called “an important fist step” in modernizing access-to-information legislation. The committee supported 11 of them including:
-Parliament should review the Access to Information Act every year;
-All people, even non-citizens, should have the right to request information under the act;
-The commissioner should be able to order the release of information that has been blocked by prohibitive fees;
-The commissioner should have discretion over whether to investigate complaints;
-The commissioner's mandate should include public education;
-The commissioner should be permitted to voice his views about pending legislation;
-The act should be extended to cover the administration of the Senate, the Commons, and the courts;
-Timelines should be developed to cover investigations;
-Requesters should be able to take their complaints directly to the federal court;
-The commissioner's approval should be required for all delays beyond 60 days;
-The act should allow for time extensions when one requester makes multiple requests.
