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Harper defends database shutdown

BRODIE FENLON

Globe and Mail Update

Latest comment posted at 4:07 PM EDT 05/05/08

Prime Minister says Co-ordination of Access to Information Requests System too costly; Dion says PM leads most 'secretive government in the history of our country' ...Read the full article

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  1. Robert MacDonald from Canada writes: Isn't it about time for an election? Too bad Dion is a timid goof.
  2. joe moore from Paradise, Canada writes: This man is a devious liar. We must become ABC: Anyone But Conservative.
  3. jamie yavis from Canada writes: Harpo and his traveling band of clowns, what a bunch of hooey! Next he will be saying democracy is too expensive proclaiming himself leader for life to save election costs.

    Get rid of this throw back to Stalinism before it's too late!
  4. Grammar Check from Toronto, Canada writes: Problem is, the Conservatives can get away with this kind of behaviour because the NDP and Liberals are too chicken to do anything.
  5. Jeff C from Canada writes: I'm guessing 350 posts today....

    Still if it's too expensive, what's your more cost effective alternative for it then?
  6. The Emperor's Paparazzi from Canada writes:
    The money that the government could save by taking away the Blackberry toys would surely pay for the database.
  7. Shirley Anne from Canada writes: Somebody please give Mr. Dion a poke. Time for an Election Stephane no more abstaining!
  8. James Tod from Vancouver, Canada writes: As we move forward and more and more information is released without the notification that it has been released, Harper and successive governments will have an easier time hiding information from the people of Canada. As funding seems to be attached to this decision, my guess is that this is another matter of confidence.
  9. Alan Pater from Vancouver, Canada writes: Decisions like this should be made by Parliament, not the un-elected prime minister and his office.

    'And they call it democracy.'
  10. Paul F. from Toronto, Canada writes: Interesting that he did cite the cost. How much does it cost? I mean the government spent a whole 100K to upgrade it. Is that supposed to be expensive?

    How much taxpayer money did the Conservatives spend this year for marketing and PR consultants? I know that budget is a lot more than 100K.

    Harper's claim isn't even plausible. Who exactly was complaining? Why was this a 'problem' to be fixed?
  11. Michele K from Ottawa, Canada writes: No, no - have you people not received your Harper-speak decoder rings?

    When our government says the database is too expensive, what they mean is, it is too costly to Conservatives in terms of lost votes, as in, they campaigned on the imperative of government accountability and stats compiled from this gosh darn database show that this government is more secretive and unaccountable than any before it, denying the people access to OUR information at every turn.

    THAT's what makes it 'too expensive' and THAT is the basis on which these Cons make all decisions - nothing whatever to do with protecting we, the people, or upholding our right to know - nothing whatever.
  12. Simply Red from Canada writes: Stephen Harper promised we swouldn't recognize Canada when he was through with it.
    It appears he's right.
    ALL Canadians -- even the Westerners who LOOOOOOOOOVE Harper -- should be concerned by his spin and his manipulation of the media.
    Any man who goes after Elections Canada -- not by simply diagreeing with an Elections Canada decision, which the LIberal candidates who wanted their deposits refunded did -- but by implying EC was partisan -- needs to be removed from office. Quickly.
    This boob APPOINTED the head of Elections Canada, which he'd like us to forget. But fortunately , we still, for a while at least, have a free media. (Unless we're talking about the National Post, of course.)
    The jackbooted thugs weren't the RCMP executing the warrant... it was the CONservative party and its team of hit men giong after Elections canada.
    Straight out of the Ruch LImbaugh / Republican playbook.
    Disgusting.
  13. Francesco Sorbara from toronto, Canada writes: Yes mr harper you are correct..you are always correct...anything that better controls the message from this tightly scripted , regressive conservative government is better canadians...mr harper we don't need to think on our own...we believe in you with 100% confidence you are our master our guardian and from your followers the man ...please control those democratic institutions please they are out of control run by a bunch of lefties please take away individual rights...also to the G&M's editorial boad, i guess this is what you get when you wanted change
  14. forty sum from Canada writes: Harper is not to be trusted and each day he shows that he is eager to make sure the people get no information about government workings at all. Clarity Act, it's true he has got to go.

    Dump Harper
  15. C L from T O, Canada writes: Harper's just following the same path as his hero, George Dubya Bush. Why is anyone in Canada surprised by this latest fiasco er... move.

    Notice they don't put THIS to a confidence vote in the Commons; they know that come election time they'd be back to 2 seats, just like back in the good ol' Kim Campbell days.

    (Harper may yet turn out to be the next Brian Mulroney; loathed by everybody across the entire political spectrum. Keep up the good work, Steve.)
  16. jamie yavis from Canada writes: Wait til Obama gets in!

    Without Bush to prop up his personal lap-dog Harper, the teflon-Con, will become a political wall flower ... one can only hope, since Dion & Layton sure aren't up to the task of doing their jobs!
  17. Simply Red from Canada writes: Grammar Check from Toronto, Canada writes: Problem is, the Conservatives can get away with this kind of behaviour because the NDP and Liberals are too chicken to do anything.
    ------------------
    I see: in your world, the only reason governments act properly is because the opposition will pounce.

    How about morality? What about decency?

    What ever happened to the 'open and transparent government' Harper promised?
    It's shrouded in shadows and secrecy, lies and spin...
  18. Michele K from Ottawa, Canada writes: Shirley Anne, I think it's time for all of us who do pay attention to these acts that undermine our democracy to give a serious poke to all the folks we know who don't pay attention, because the fact is, that Dion is not going to force an election until the polls tell him to do so. And the polls aren't going to budge until more Canadian voters get their heads out of their butts - pardon my language.
  19. G. Veneta from Calgary, Canada writes: Quelle surprise?! Secrecy is the hallmark of this one man government. They so hold the public in contempt that they feel the public should be shut out of all of government's business and leave it in the hands of the DECIDER.

    More and more I wonder that this man has deep psychological issues and a terribly warped sense of self importance and intelligence. Power hungry and power desperate so he assaults our institutions that are there to protect the integrity of our democracy. He is indeed a good Stalin understudy. There is no shortage of manuals on various forms of fascism. The first thing they do is shut out access to information on government and undermine the democratic institutions of the country...sound familiar.

    Does Canada need to remind this PM of his job description and that he is a SERVANT to Canadians. WE are his EMPLOYER. HE is ACCOUNTABLE to us and not only to himself and his ideology and loyal cult base.

    We need a PM that loves Canada and will continue to keep our institutions strong and Canadians united. This divide and conquer is evil to say the least.

    Wake up Canada. Don't be complacent to this lock out.

    This is NOT about money but about hiding.
  20. Simply Red from Canada writes: C L from T O, Canada writes:
    (Harper may yet turn out to be the next Brian Mulroney; loathed by everybody across the entire political spectrum. Keep up the good work, Steve.)
    From your mouth to God's ears!
  21. Hornsworth Portswiler from adanac, Canada writes: Government should constantly be getting more transparent, and accessible, period. There are plenty of trustworthy NGOs who would happily take on this task for less than $176k, which is not a large amount in the first place. You could use any contemporary open source CMS for this task, total costs could not be more than $80k per year including a salaried staff person.
  22. J Kay from Canada writes: Jeff C: Why do you automatically assume, simply because Mr. Harper said so, that the database was too expensive to run. The only information in the entire article pertaining to cost was a $166,000 expense in 2001, which is quite frankly peanuts when considering a $220 billion budget.

    This has the air of being heavy handed, intended to obfuscate and misdirect people seeking access be providing no centralised way of knowing where in the process the information is.

    I find the rhetoric interesting that this was a 'Liberal' database when the program was started in 1989, 4 year before the Liberal's took power and right in the middle of Mr. Mulroney's term in office, yet the Cons wish to again portray things as the 'liberals' fault or failings. Isn't that refrain getting just a little too old and well worn?
  23. Pretty Much Sane from Canada writes: Access to information is mainly used by the media such as CBC, G&M, HRC' s and ambulance chasers for devious uses against the government. These tactics work when small interest groups are looking for handouts and ways to attempt to justify them WRT to criticizing the government.
    Be honest, when is the last time you personally utilized the ATIRS. The average citizen normally does not and probably isn't aware such a system exists. It can be in comparison to the 'Gun Registry', how many private citizens ever use it - almost none, so why justify a black hole by shoveling Canadian taxpayers money into it?
    How many people read Hansard - answer - perhaps a few but almost none.
  24. aging oldtool from Canada writes: About all I can say of this cute little whine from Harper is that it's a whole lot easier to lie to the public if the public can't access the truth.

    I would imagine that any advice book written for aspiring dictators would speak about shutting down access to information as quickly and as thoroughly as possible.

  25. Stan L from Canada writes: Pretty Much Sane from Canada writes: Access to information is mainly used by the media such as CBC, G&M, HRC' s and ambulance chasers for devious uses against the government. These tactics work when small interest groups are looking for handouts and ways to attempt to justify them WRT to criticizing the government.
    Be honest, when is the last time you personally utilized the ATIRS. The average citizen normally does not and probably isn't aware such a system exists.

    Uh.....no I use it regularily, you need to get some historical information contained in government databases.....it now takes twice as long as it used to tow years ago.........I would also add that anyone who is doing anything genealogical in nature is also using this information......so just becuase you don't use it doen't go around assuming you know who does.
  26. Simply Red from Canada writes: Duncan Munro from Canada writes: The NDP has been trying to topple this hopelessly corrupt, baby killing, narcostate supporting, government but Dion wets his pants every time a confidence vote is called. Why doesn't Dion get off his knees in front of Harper and either force an election or merge the LIBs with the CONs, then at least Canadians would have a clear, honest choice in the next election, and then PM Jack Layton could send this bunch of crooks to prison where they belong. Hopefully President Obama will refuse any asylum requests from the Haperistas. ---------------------------------- Duncan, what you fail to remember is that this slimeball is in there because of the NDP. THEY brought down the Liberal government. THEY released information about an RCMP investigation that should not have been released in an election. THEY brought in an election that killed Kyoto, killed the native treaty, killed a national child care programme. And why? 'cause smilin' Jack thought he could get a few more seats. It's tempting but it's STUPID to bring down this government unless we know we can finish it off!!! The LAST thing this country needs is a Harper majority, yet the NDP keep posturing ... trying to 'bring down the government' which they know won't happen, 'cause the Liberals aren't going to do it until they can finish Harper off. So they keep posturing, instead of trying to work WITH the Liberals to back the CONS into corners. The NDP< for God's sake, didn't want the Cadman issue investigated in committee because they knew the LIberals were scoring points on it -- if that isn't RANK PARTISANSHIP, I don't know what is. They should look at the RIGHT thing to do -- for Canada, not just Jack and his band of merry hypocrites!
  27. L Lucas from Ottawa, Canada writes: I think objections to this are an overreaction. Have any of you ever used this database? How many even knew it existed? Political junkies might, but I'll bet most ordinary Candians don't know it existed because it is an obscure piece of information collection. Who needs it? If journalists, researchers want to collect info like this, they should start their own Wikipedia -- cheap and effective. This type of thing is SO removed from the day to day needs of ordinary people. I am pleased to see that the Conservatives are taking 'value for money' seriously and addressing areas where government bureaucracy has gotten totally overblown.
  28. May Loo from Calgary, Canada writes: The PM talkes about making 'more' information accesible to the public.
    I wonder how much of these documents come with large parts blacked out because of national security or other Conservative reason. Is Harper taking his cues from what former Alberta premier Ralph Klein did, or his bud US President Bush?
  29. Liberals Steal from normal hardworking, Canada writes: Simply Red ' Stephen Harper promised we swouldn't recognize Canada when he was through with it'

    Not true. Made up. Lie.

    But nonetheless, could you people PLEASE get your liberal MPs to VOTE?

    Fax them, phone them, go see them in person and insist that they VOTE!!!!

    It's actually their job for crying out loud!
  30. True North from Canada writes: Just shut it down with no alternative solution from the self-declared 'open and transparent' government??

    Harper cannot be trusted.
  31. Liberals Steal from normal hardworking, Canada writes: Simply Red from Canada writes: Duncan Munro from Canada writes: The NDP has been trying to topple this hopelessly corrupt, baby killing, narcostate sup..
    Duncan, what you fail to remember is that this slimeball is in there because of the NDP.

    This is so great whan the marxists fight the .. other marxists!!
    It is the best show in the country watching the far-lefters fight it out over nothing.
  32. J Kay from Canada writes: And the conservative talking points email is out in full force:

    Who needs this?

    Most Canadians don't even know it exists.

    Only those who have an axe to grind against the government use it.

    I never used it, so who else would or would need to?

    It costs too much.

    The Liberals did it.

    etc., etc.
  33. Vern McPherson from writes:
    What are the COns afraid of ?
  34. Robert MacDonald from Canada writes: ELECTION TIME!
  35. ken g from Canadian in Cuernavaca, Canada writes: Questions: What was used before this database was put in place? Is it really required? If so, what replaces it?
  36. W M from Canada writes: The database “was deemed expensive, it was deemed to slow down the access to information, and that's why this government got rid of it,” Mr. Harper said during Question Period. “This is a government that has actually widened access to information,”
    =====================================================

    Wow, imagine how much he could save by shutting down parliament, cancelling all inaction with the media and the public and simply running the entire government as a dictatorship. As for Harper's claim that he has 'widened access to information', an accurate statement is that he has increased the number of departments from which one can request information, but done everything in his power to ensure that all such requests will be stonewalled, if not denied outright. I wonder how long until our duplicitous, doubletalking PM announces that 'the butter ration has been increased from 2 lbs to 1'.
  37. R L from Canada writes: Disgusting! Fuhrer Steve stressed the importance of transparency in the last election, and what we got is the most secretive and untrustworthy government in Canadian history. This undemocratic government has been chipping away to destroy democracy & transparency in this country month-after-month since they came to power. What a disgrace.

    This shutting down of the Access to Information database is no surprise for these NeoCons; not only is it a consistent pattern for the Conservative Party, but it's also part of their overall strategy to focus on propaganda & top-down communications strategies (as it is south of the border), which of course requires that the public & media cannot access the truth.
  38. M M from West Coast, Canada writes: baby-killing (Duncan Munroe)? what the heck was that in reference to? Maybe just a little over the top (which is true of about 95% of those posting on this discussion, but no surprise there since this is the G & M readership)!
  39. Free The West from Free the West, BC, Canada writes: This time-wasting, money-wasting system is being used as a way to throw phoney contrived hurdles at our duly elected Government. The leftie Ontario media and Eastern social activists use this as a filibuster to the Conservative agenda. This doesn't mean the information isn't there any more, it just means the Government won't throw away money to make it easier for a blatantly biased media.
  40. James Tod from Vancouver, Canada writes: I think it's time to dump this government for a New New Government.
  41. P. Pobega from Con'd once, NEVER again!, Canada writes:
    I myself voted Conservative... it's too bad Canadian's made a mistake with. A year after voting for him, I have regretted it... his true colours keep coming out more and more.
  42. True North from Canada writes: What is Harper hiding?

    The Harper government spent more money on Flaherty's 'fiscal responsibility' budget speeches than they do on this one database.

    Harper cannot be trusted.
  43. Prairie Boy from Canada writes: Donations to political parties Conservative 44,000. Ndp 14,000. Liberal 10,000. The rest who cares. Remember these are donations by people. Now if we use the old formula the Liberals used to make things look bigger than they are ie 1 response = 500 votes then we have more representation than people. Sounds about right.
  44. Stop! Think! from Canada writes: Guillame - Your opinion on the article please...You could not possibly be the type of person who believes that the gov't should try to restrict access to information for its citizens......Or will this be just one of your many hypocracies run amok?? The CPC campaigned on an 'open, accountable' government....Yet we have them restricting access to information even further....My, my what pickle our PM is in once again....
  45. G. Veneta from Calgary, Canada writes: Since when is democracy too expensive?

    Any cult con wish to answer that one for us who believe in a strong and free democratic Canada?
  46. Derek Holtom from Swan River, Canada writes: some idiot called this government 'baby killing'
    do people actually talk like that to one another? or do they require the internet to become so thoughtless?
  47. Crusty Curmudgeon from Ottawa, Canada writes: The real argument here is whether to limit the power of the Prime Minister -- period. That includes the LIEberals if and when they get into power. That is why the LIEberals won't make an election issue out of it. They don't wanttheir own power curtailed.

    The LIEberals were just as secretive -- but they were better at concealing the lies (perhaps through bribery).

    Limiting the power of the Prime Minister would mean re-openning the constitution.

    Re-openning the constitution would mean that issue of the power of the Prime Minister would take a back seat to the French language debate -- and the real problem (the power of the PMO) would be buried once that language debate started.

    In the long run -- the power elite will continue to do what they want while the peasants scream and cry.

    Nothing will change -- especially in the namby pamby whiny country of Canada -- where no one really cares about what the politicians do anyway (except the Bozos on this forum) who actually believe that appends to this forum will make some sort of a difference.
  48. Bob Smitherman from Canada writes: Next they'll be shutting down libraries, government websites, etc because they all cost money, and we all know that we don't want to divert money from the things that really matter to Canadians, like more prisons, more war machines, more subsidies to big oil...
  49. Jeff C from Canada writes: J Kay: Easy there fella... If you thought I was coming from a pro-Conservative standpoint you're way off. I was asking our good ol' PM if it was too expensive (as it was) then what is his plan for making the information available in a cost effective manner?! Not you or the Liberals, but the Conservatives. Also the information wasn't yet posted in the article that is there now, so there was no indication of $166k, just that Harper said it was 'too expensive'. Just relax, I was being critical of the Cons. Not baby-killing critical, but you get the idea.
  50. J S from Edmonton, Canada writes: It's worth noting that all the information that was available before is still available now, it'll just be more annoying to get at. This was a centralized convenience system for people that used the service.

    And even if nobody used it, it's important for it to be there. Transparency in government is always important in a democracy. You can't have a properly democratic government without knowing what they're doing.
  51. John Fedup from Canada writes: If the Liberals and NDP are outraged at this, it must be a good idea.
  52. Martyn Whitt from toronto, Canada writes: Judging by about 95% of comments here, our nation is quite pathetic...'hey guys steven harper sheered a sheep today'...oh no my god that evil man, he's evil destroying our country he's a dictator, this is like pre war germany hahahaahah.
  53. Bob Smitherman from Canada writes: George Orwell was right after all, except he got the year wrong...
  54. Vern McPherson from writes:
    Why dies harper lie all the time ??
  55. bill williams from guelph, Canada writes: -

    It must be so frustrating to be Stephen Harper sometimes: When you know for a certainty that public access to information is absolutely a bad thing, and people keep challenging you on things like ... refusing to talk with the media; firing civil servants who disagree with you; forcing government scientists to vet answers to public questions through your office; throwing uninvited reporters out of press conferences; shutting down access to information offices; requiring your caucus members to keep their lips zipped ... no matter who elected them, and no matter WHO's paying their salary ... well, I mean ... it's so FRUSTRATING.

    Why can't people just shut their mouths and mind their own business, and let Stephen get on with being 'the decider'?

    I would be livid if I were the prime minister and people kept asking me what I was doing, and why I was doing it? If Canadians are too stupid to realise that it might be OK to challenge politicians from other parties, but it definitely NOT OK to ask Harper, well ... what do you say to these dolts?

    Access to information! Ha! Stephen Harper doesn't even have enough information himself, and he's going to share what he knows with tax-paying Canadians?

    And what about that press release last week where Harper informed the media that he should be referred to as Your (His) Royal Highness? That was information, you see any of those pinko-commie journalists reporting THAT? No, just THEIR questions, and what the PUBLIC wants to know! It's unbelievable!

    This has been explained over and over and over: whatever we need to know, Harper will tell us. Sheesh!

    -
  56. Mark Galli from Hamilton, writes: Amazing, 2 or 3 measley comments supporting the conservatives obviously attempt at killing access to information. Come on right-wing wackos, where are you. Usually the partisan righties are out in full force defending everything Mini-GDub and his minions do. Come on guys, you must have some creative answers as to why harper killed this? No.... well, If the neo-con-funda-chris wackjobs can't come out and defend this, it must be simply indefensible.
  57. Michele K from Ottawa, Canada writes: There's a petition at ipetitions.com - /petition/saveCAIRS

    And if I thought my buffoon MP John Baird would pay any attention, I'd be calling him too.
  58. R. Carriere from Maritimes, Canada writes:

    'A spokesman for the Treasury Board, which oversees Ottawa's access policy, said CAIRS was initially intended to be an internal tool, and that users can now obtain the information by going to federal agencies one by one.'

    Let's look at the issue:

    Now people can go to the individual agencies 'one by one.'

    So the questions should be as follows:

    1) What will be the cost?

    2) What will be the delays? (Same? Better? Worse?)

    3) Are the individual departments ready for the new workload/onslaught of demands?

    And most important

    4) Are there any pieces of information no longer accessible, that were accessible before the changes?

    If that is the case, then what's left of our democracy is at play here. But until we have all the answers to these questions, it really is useless to yell and scream.

    We should ALL monitor this very closely! If the process of accessibilty has changed-FINE. If information is being hidden, regardless of political stripe, we have bigger problems than Party differences.

    Does anyone have those answers?
  59. Martyn Whitt from toronto, Canada writes: I know Bob Smitherman its crazy, Harper starts fighting all the undemocratic and or wasteful institutions in this country and all the people jump all over him and think that it is HE that is undemocratic. Words and ideas really don't have real meaning anymore Orwell was right.
  60. Brian C from Canada writes: Mark Galli, what's to defend? It's a costly database of information already made public. What's being hidden?
  61. Eric B from Ottawa, Canada writes: UN-BA-LIEVABLE!!!!!!!!! One thing after the next....last week it was voting against having confidence in Election Canada because they had found the Cons had broken election rules. Before that it was limiting individual Federal department's right to deliver rawa information to the population (unless it was approved by the PMO, aka make all the federal service partisan)....now, he limits the population Access to Information, one of the very principles of modern democracy!

    please, please, please let's have an election !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
  62. spicydoc--That'll do, spicydoc, that'll do... from Canada writes:

    There's no reduction in access to information.

    The registry simply kept a record of whom asked for wjhat when.

    The original spitrit of the registry was to help government officials keep abreast of what was going 'out' by way of info requests. Obviously, the Chretien Libs were ken on knowing this. This kind of 'tracking' is actually kinda creepy.

    However, the registry has devolved into a 'shortcut' for lazy muckrakers---instead of digging up stories and getting access to info (which is still avaailable, if not improved), the muckers would simply ask to see what everybody else was up to. This created major duplications of requests, since other 'diggers' didn't want to be scooped.

    The people who should be happiest are real journalists and investigators who always had their searches copied.

    Listen, there are plenty of reasons to dislike Harper. This measure is a f*rt in the breeze and the opps know it. Not that the good Mr. Dion won't make his ritualistic accusation of neo-fascism against the CPC.
  63. Mark Galli from Hamilton, writes: Why, does harper, because he follows the Bush playbook. Do as you will, if you are challenged on it, deny it, If the challenges continue, blame the dems/libs. But never, EVER, state your true intentions.
  64. a l from Toronto, Canada writes: Wait a minute. Didn't Harper campaign on accountability and openness? Didn't he go after those Liberals and say he would do things differently? Boy, is he ever doing things differently. This is totally in keeping with his approach - control all information, release none. Why can't we have an election and get rid of these thugs?
  65. Mark Galli from Hamilton, writes: Brian C ' Mark Galli, what's to defend? It's a costly database of information already made public. What's being hidden?'

    ummmmm, what?
  66. Beer and Popcorn from Toronto, Canada writes: Another smart move - eliminating waste and duplication and looking out for the taxpayer
  67. P Scott from Canada writes: Open and accountable... open and accountable.

    Income Trusts... Bill C-10... Election fraud... etc.

    Call an election! Democracy is at stake!
  68. Able Bodied Man from Colony of Van Isle, Canada writes:
    It is obvious that some of the left-wingers spouting off here cannot read newspaper stories properly and therefore would not be able to read information provided by the access to information act.

    Access to information does not mean any willy-nilly dufus should be able to go about creating innuendo from a taxpayer-funded database, or looking to find out what info I may have requested.

    In fact the database smacks of Liberal profile gathering on people requesting access to information. Why does this info need to be compiled? If you want info, you should be able to ask the govt for it without being recorded in a profile on a database available for public scrutiny. If I want info, it's none of anyone here's bloody business!!

    The less government the better.
  69. Always Right from Canada writes:

    Attention whining Liberals.

    Take 1% of the time you waste on these boards, write a letter to your Liberal MP or better yet to Dion herself and ask ... nay DEMAND that they do what they were elected and are paid handsomely to do. Show up in parliament, represent their constituents like they are supposed to and vote on behalf of the Liberal weenies that sent them there.

    You can complain all you want in these blogs but it doesn't make an iota of difference. The only people here are the partisans for one side or the other. Do you really think you're convincing anyone here to change their vote?

    I agree that we need an election so we can shut you whiners up for another 4 years. Only you can make it so. Put your actions where your whining is hypocrits.
  70. Eric B from Ottawa, Canada writes: oh I forgot....how about firing the Atomic Canada Safety Chair because they made a decision which was not in perfect alignement with the opinion of the Conservative Party?

    I say we start a pool....how long until Harper decides that Sheila Fraser and the entire Auditor General's Office is simply too costly to maintain ?
  71. Hornsworth Portswiler from adanac, Canada writes: Let me put it more simply. My home page is composed of international feeds of news. I would like to add a news feed for 'Canadian access to information requests.' It would be interesting, at least, as a passive barometer. This would be a sign of government becoming more transparent. But what Harper has done is the opposite. The technology is there, great things are being done with it around the world (look at the public whip project). Whether or not you agree with every squeaky wheel, they are still critical to the integrity of a democratic system.
  72. Stop! Think! from Canada writes: R Carriere - Glad to see someone calling for a bit of calm, but with todays go-go world will anyone even notice, will this just end up another 30 second CTV sound bite??? For your sake and mine, I hope people wake up and pay attention to what is being proposed, as it may be one small step in a direction none of us wants to take....Hopefully our 'free' media will start paying attention...As this type of thing has a direct bearing one their jobs...
  73. J L from Canada writes: Mr Dion say's Conservative Government most secret government in Canadian History.Really? Pray tell.I think not. perhaps the Leader? of the Opposition might wish to reflect on those Liberal governments of which Mr Dion was a cabinet member might qualify for that honour.CBC, The Wheat Board, Canada Post all crown corporations subsidized heavily with Canadians taxes closed to public scrutiny as to where and on what our money was being spent.NO LONGER! Under our current government that is no longer the case.Their books are now open and available for the Taxpayer to access.So Mr Dion is of the opinion that the current government is the most secret. in our history is he?That I would suggest is open to debate.
  74. Martyn Whitt from toronto, Canada writes: oh I forgot....how about firing the Atomic Canada Safety Chair because they made a decision which was not in perfect alignement with the opinion of the Conservative Party?

    Sorry I think some folks going for cancer diagnostic tests had something to say about it rather than the CPC...how conveniently ignorant of you Eric B, when's graduation again?
  75. The Natrix from Toronto, Canada writes: Did Harper stop dying his hair?

    Or is he dying it Gray to show his Statesmenship?
  76. Penny’s Worth from Canada writes:
    The long and winding road to ... Fascism.
  77. Richard Hawk from Canada writes: Is Harper for real??? Does he think Canadians will stand for this???

    Give us access to the information now and at all times. What have you got to hide? Better be nothing. There's absolutely no reason for this other then to hide what you are doing. Incredibly stupid play by the conservatives. This one will really bite them.
  78. Bob Smitherman from Canada writes: Martyn Whitt from toronto, Canada writes: I know Bob Smitherman its crazy, Harper starts fighting all the undemocratic and or wasteful institutions in this country and all the people jump all over him and think that it is HE that is undemocratic. Words and ideas really don't have real meaning anymore Orwell was right.




    ============================================
    Which 'undemocratic and or wasteful institutions' are you referring to? Elections Canada? Nuclear Safety Commission? Which one? I don't understand you.

    What we're talking about is limitting and or impeding access to information. Information is the lifeblood of any democracy. Strangle it and it will die.
  79. Stop! Think! from Canada writes: say we start a pool....how long until Harper decides that Sheila Fraser and the entire Auditor General's Office is simply too costly to maintain ?

    If you had read todays print addition you would read Sheila Fraser condemning the Conservatives for proposing to restrict even her dept....She came out blatantly and told the media..Harper immediatly cancelled the idea....Perhaps another hidden item to be used if they get that Majority....
  80. R. Carriere from Maritimes, Canada writes:

    Once again, I will ask my Liberal friends who had a knee jerk reaction, if they can answer the following questions:

    Now people can go to the individual agencies 'one by one.'

    So the questions should be as follows:

    1) What will be the cost?

    2) What will be the delays? (Same? Better? Worse?)

    3) Are the individual departments ready for the new workload/onslaught of demands?

    And most important

    4) Are there any pieces of information no longer accessible, that were accessible before the changes?

    What changes? If you have the answers, please enlighten me.

    .
  81. Howard Young from Canada writes: Could someone tell me what was the definition of 'too costly'? Also, what system replaced CAIRS?
  82. Bob Smitherman from Canada writes: I see spicydoc has received his briefing notes from the party. The rest of them should be hitting this site any minute now. They have had their scripts handed to them.
  83. Chris Haines from writes: If the government really wants to save money, they would shut down the House of Commons. All of the MPs could just stay in their ridings and maybe try actually talking to their constituents. Then they could all have a weekly conference call or better yet online discussion. Think of the travel costs and other MP expenses we would save. And it's not like they get any less productive work done then they do now.
  84. John G from Ottawa, Canada writes: Good post, R Carriere.

    Perhaps all of you frothing at the mouth could take a moment to wipe the spittle away and answer one question.

    Please explain, clearly, so everyone can understand, exactly what information is not available now that was available before. Please explain exactly what 'access to information' has been revoked.
  85. Brendan Sigurdson from Canada writes: The CBC for instance is controlled by Harper puppets, and he wants to increase access to information for that organization. Sounds like a plot to undermine it, by having his puppets do something really stupid, then release the access to information, this will make the public confidence in the CBC fall, and will make it easier for him to destroy it.

    For example recently there was a story about how much the executives were spending on air travel. They were flying first class all the way.

    Who appointed these people to the CBC? None other than Harper himself.

    Harper is just trying to gut every crown organization he can. For instance the Canadian Wheat Board he has appointed directors that are from the private grain trade. Sounds kind of like the fox in the hen house situation. But he doesn't care as long as his friend Brian Mulroney is collecting checks and stock options from Archer Daniels Midland (ADM). (Mulroney is a director of ADM)
  86. W M from Canada writes: L Lucas from Ottawa, Canada writes: 'I think objections to this are an overreaction. Have any of you ever used this database? How many even knew it existed? Political junkies might, but I'll bet most ordinary Candians don't know it existed because it is an obscure piece of information collection. Who needs it? If journalists, researchers want to collect info like this, they should start their own Wikipedia -- cheap and effective. This type of thing is SO removed from the day to day needs of ordinary people. I am pleased to see that the Conservatives are taking 'value for money' seriously and addressing areas where government bureaucracy has gotten totally overblown.' ==================================================== Thanks for your demonstration of intelligence-insulting doublethink, L Lucas. If I understand you correctly, you are saying that as long as the government only denies information to people who are actually looking for it, why should be care. Does that mean that if they start denying access to people who aren't asking, you will be upset? You see, I have to think that if you really gave a cr@p about transparency or the value of checks and balances, you would realize that THIS DATABASE IS A PERFECT EXAMPLE OF VALUE FOR MONEY. Allowing researchers access to the database means that if they find that the information they seek has already been requested by others, they need only request a copy of what has already been prepared. However, by blinding them you ensure that many duplicate requests will be made and many burearcrats will have to be paid to process each request as though it were brand new, rather than simply pressing print on the photocopier (each document will have to be re-located and re-censored). Is that REALLY your idea of value for money. Somehow I doubt it. And, even if the database didn't save money, the increased transparency would still be worth it, as I'm sure you would agree if another party were in power.
  87. William Ross from Victoria BC, Canada writes: Thank god : speaking from experience the sooner we get rid of this the better. The only productive thing this dbase did was keep a few techies busy trying to lose their backups!
  88. Mei-Xing Xu from Canada writes: This government becomes more scary by the day.
  89. Able Bodied Man from Colony of Van Isle, Canada writes:
    Simply Red from Canada writes: Grammar Check from Toronto, Canada writes: Problem is, the Conservatives can get away with this kind of behaviour because the NDP and Liberals are too chicken to do anything.
    --------------------------------------------------------------------------------

    That Bloke Quebec Was, the Nood Doods and the ever-bereft-of-a-moral-compass Lowbrawls are not chicken. They're actually fishing boats lost at sea and way out of their political depth. If given a chance they would change this country into one in which everyone works for the government. The Cons I believe are attempting to reduce the cost of government, thereby opening the door to reducing taxes for everyone, thereby leaving more money in my pocket instead of in the pockets of people whose only job is to make up regulations to impose upon the common folk.
  90. Johnny Canuck from Canada writes: This was long overdue. The less access other people have to our information or to government information, the better off and more secure off we all are. There are too many people snoopying on Government data bases trying to get personal inmformation, make money or make trouble. 3 cheers for PM Harper.
  91. Mitchell Cardno from Calgary, Alberta, Canada writes: How much could this sytem possibly cost? $5 million? I'd be more than willing to contribute my $.15 (that's right, 15 cents) to keep it running as there are 33 million people paying federal taxes here in canada.
  92. No Party party from Van City, Canada writes: His explanation is laughable. What was the size of the Fed budget again? This information has been compiled to be a resource for Canadians. There is just no good way to spin this, this is a low, low move.
  93. Liberals Face Criminal Charges from Canada writes: Recent polls continue to favour the Conservatives!! Bring on the election Stevie Dion.
  94. Not left,right or centre but forward got it from Toronto, Canada writes: For all the arguing and bickering between the left and the right, I'm starting to realize why I'm always so pissed off with government and nothing gets done. The right remove accountability and transparency and spend your money where you dont want it, on things like aggressive foreign missions. They remove your rights and freedoms through security certificates and the like. The left remove your rights to self defense, property ownership and spend billions of your money on social programs designed to buy votes rather than build a meritocracy. Team A and Team C both eat away at your rights and your money for the betterment of themselves and their friends. We the citizens are left holding the bad with is now full of dog doo. Why can't we have a NEW form of proportional representation where when a certain proportion of the voting public doesn't vote than a corresponding number of MP don't get elected. I want to be able to vote for my ridings aspiring MP to stay home and stop collecting a great slaary and pension for doing work that I neither asked him for, nor wanted nor benefit from. When I say less government, I don't just mean a smaller civil service, but I also mean a smaller parliament. If there aren't enough MP's to hold a majority of seats in the house, then they can't pass new legislation. Spending would be limited to a formula derived from the last budget and the MP's can all stay at home and watch TV and eat popcorn and drink beer while the rest of us citizens get on with our lives.
  95. Always Right from Canada writes: Once again whining Liberals.

    Take 1% of the time you waste on these boards, write a letter to your Liberal MP or better yet to Dion herself and ask ... nay DEMAND that they do what they were elected and are paid handsomely to do. Show up in parliament, represent their constituents like they are supposed to and vote on behalf of the Liberal weenies that sent them there.

    You can complain all you want in these blogs but it doesn't make an iota of difference. The only people here are the partisans for one side or the other. Do you really think you're convincing anyone here to change their vote?

    I agree that we need an election so we can shut you whiners up for another 4 years. Only you can make it so. Put your actions where your whining is hypocrits.
  96. Honesty is the best Policy from Canada writes:
    Is Steve a Vampire? He sure hides from the light.
    • Posted 05/05/08 at 5:02 PM EDT |