Skip to main content

Information Commissioner of Canada, Mr Robert Marleau speaks to the media about his special report entitled Report Cards 2007-2008 and Systemic Issues Affecting Access to Information in Canada to Parliament in Ottawa Thursday Feb. 26, 2009.Adrian Wyld

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.

Interact with The Globe