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Journalists must take the gloves off by pushing governments to be more transparent, challenging transparency claims and writing stories when they withhold information that should be released
Prime Minister Harper and Senator Duffy, will access to information requests get the story? (CBC photo)
By David McKie, Ideas Editor, j-Source
As we continue to watch the Senate controversy swirl and hijack Prime Minister Stephen Harper’s agenda, it’s easy to overlook the criticism that seems to be the root cause of the problems besetting the Conservatives.
Excessive secrecy is the common denominator in many of the scandals that have side-swiped the government: the Afghan detainees, the F-35s, the in-and-out controversy, robocalls and now the Senate.
In the Mike Duffy case, it’s a question of what Harper knew about the infamous cheque and is he really coming clean?
Last month, there was another troubling report that also complained about secrecy: the information commissioner’s annual report.
Suzanne Legault, who does not possess the fire-breathing tendencies of some of her predecessors, has taken the gloves off, blasting the Harper government for an access-to-information system that is going downhill, and fast.
This is a state of affairs that must concern journalists at a time when governments of all stripes, and at all levels, boast about being open and take credit for making public an ever-increasing amount of data.
David McKie, CBC journalist (Twitter photo)
Journalists must also take the gloves off by pushing governments to be more transparent, challenging those transparency claims and writing stories when they withhold information that should be released, either formally through access to information or informally through simply asking.
For the rest of the story, see j-Source
Stephen Pate
It’s not just the PMO’s office who restrict information. CBC has been regularly refusing or fudging on Access to Information Requests. The CBC likes to redact anything of value.
Sun Media is routinely frustrated but CBC even plays hardball with tiny news outlets like NJN Network. Following up on LaCroix’s testimony at the Parliamentary Committee in March 2013, we asked for external legal fees paid on any human rights claim. The response was almost totally redacted, despite providing the exact same information in a report CBC said they proactively volunteered.
We filed a Complaint with the Commissioner but that takes forever.
It’s ironic that the CBC refuses to comply with the law when they bray about Harper’s government. Or perhaps not since journalism is the cyncial home of double standards.