Skip to content

Public sessions to be held on information access law

The Alberta government will hit the road over the next six weeks to get input on possible changes to its freedom of information rules.

The Alberta government will hit the road over the next six weeks to get input on possible changes to its freedom of information rules.

The opposition calls it a time-wasting duplication of work that has already been done.

Don Scott, the associate minister in charge of the Freedom of Information and Privacy Act, said he and officials will hold public meetings across the province from now until the end of July on suggested changes to the act.

“By reviewing this act, we will ensure we achieve that fine balance between the public’s right to know and an individual’s right to privacy,” Scott said Thursday.

The review will focus on making the act clearer and more user-friendly. The feedback will be posted online.

The sessions, hosted by Scott, are to begin Friday in Fort McMurray.

Liberal critic Laurie Blakeman said if Scott needs something to do this summer, he should implement the 24 recommendations made by an all-party legislature committee in 2010.

Blakeman says the recommendations on opening up access rules have sat on the shelf for years.

“We had a complete review that went on for close to a year, we had dozens of people present to us, (and) we had lots of submissions,” said Blakeman.

“I really have to question what minister Scott is up to because it sure looks to me like this is a make-work project for a minister who has not very much to do this summer.” NDP critic Rachel Notley agreed.

“This is a bit of smoke and mirrors, a bit of a diversionary tactic to try to convince Albertans that they (the government) are remotely interested in transparency,” said Notley.