{"id":15251,"date":"2021-09-28T13:14:40","date_gmt":"2021-09-28T17:14:40","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/caj.ca\/?p=15251"},"modified":"2022-11-17T13:55:42","modified_gmt":"2022-11-17T18:55:42","slug":"caj-sounds-alarm-about-canadas-broken-access-to-information-regime","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/caj.ca\/fr\/caj-sounds-alarm-about-canadas-broken-access-to-information-regime\/","title":{"rendered":"CAJ sounds alarm about Canada’s broken access to information regime"},"content":{"rendered":"

On this <\/span>Right to Know Day<\/span><\/a>, the Canadian Association of Journalists (CAJ) calls on the federal government, provincial governments, municipalities, and other publicly-funded agencies, once again, to take meaningful steps towards implementing long-sought solutions to ensure the right to know of Canadians is respected.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

To mark #RTK2021, the CAJ is working with the Public Service Information Community Connection (PSICC) on their <\/span>Right to Know Week festivities<\/span><\/a>. The CAJ will be participating in a panel discussion called <\/span>Fresh Eyes on FOI<\/span><\/i><\/a> on September 29. CAJ members can receive a $20 discount to attend the week\u2019s events. <\/span>Contact us<\/span> for a promo code.<\/span><\/p>\n

In advance of the recent federal election, the CAJ and other press freedom groups <\/a><\/span>asked<\/span> the leaders of each federal party to explain how they would implement much-needed changes to the Access To Information Act. The Liberal Party\u2019s response did not directly address the questions, instead citing \u201csignificant\u201d amendments to the Access to Information Act.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cIt speaks volumes that, across the political spectrum, civil society organizations agree that this system is broken,\u201d said CAJ president Brent Jolly. \u201cThe CAJ is extremely concerned by a lack of recourse for journalists, and all Canadians, when government departments refuse to hand over documents to which the public has a right.\u201d\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Last month, the CAJ also made a cheeky <\/span>submission<\/span><\/a> to the Treasury Board Secretariat criticizing government inaction over many decades and repeating calls for reforms\u2014some as basic as permitting payment for ATIPs to be made online and ensuring departments can send records electronically.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cFor more than 40 years, the CAJ has been beating the drum for enhanced transparency and disclosure regimes across the country,\u201d said Jolly. \u201cSadly, without proper attention, the black hole of information poverty will only continue to deepen.\u201d\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

For #RTK2021, we encourage all members to share with us their experiences about their challenges accessing public records and government obfuscation. Tag @caj on Twitter. As well, you can:\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

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  1. Check out this mind-blowing <\/span>database<\/span><\/a> of FOI stories compiled by journalist Stanley Tromp.\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n
  2. Call out ridiculous abuses of the system by submitting to the <\/span>Code of Silence Awards<\/span><\/a>.<\/span><\/li>\n
  3. Build networks – join the CAJ\u2019s access-to-information channel in our Slack community. If you\u2019re a member and haven\u2019t already joined, <\/span>sign up here<\/span><\/a>.\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n
  4. Later this year, we\u2019re looking forward to building out provincial and regional caucuses to better share information. Please email Brent Jolly at: <\/span>brent@caj.ca<\/span> if you\u2019re interested in being involved.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

    The CAJ is Canada\u2019s largest national professional organization for journalists from all media, representing more than 1000 members across the country. The CAJ\u2019s primary roles are to provide high-quality professional development for its members and public-interest advocacy.\u00a0<\/span><\/i><\/p>\n

    For more information, please contact:\u00a0<\/i><\/b><\/p>\n

    Brent Jolly\u00a0<\/span><\/i><\/p>\n

    President, Canadian Association of Journalists<\/span><\/i><\/p>\n

    (289) 387-3179<\/span><\/i><\/p>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div>

    Faire un don<\/h4><\/div>\"\"<\/a><\/section>\n\t\t
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    Derni\u00e8res nouvelles<\/h4><\/div>\n\t\t