To the editor:
Local MP Ron Cannan couldn’t have been clearer when he said: “Strengthening accountability and transparency was part of the government’s promise to Canadians when we were first elected in 2006…We continue to move forward as an open and transparent government.”(Hansard, 5 November 2012)
Soon he will have a chance to show how he is putting that sentiment into practice as your representative when he votes on the Transparency Act.
This bill was introduced by Liberal Leader Justin Trudeau to raise the bar on openness and accountability by making government information open by default.
The Transparency Act would modernize our Access to Information system. It would make all government data public by default and available in modern formats. It would empower an independent office to order that information to be disclosed. It would eliminate extra fees for information requests.
The Act would also make the meetings of the governing board of the House of Commons open by default, allowing Canadians to see how MPs make decisions on their own spending.
These changes would go a long way to addressing criticisms…and ensure that citizens have a real right to know what their government does.
Scott Simms, MP
Liberal Party of Canada Democratic Reform Critic
