Information and Privacy Commissioner Michael McEvoy (from oipc website) |
The work week for MLA's is almost over and for Citizen's Services Minister Lisa Beare that quitting time whistle later this afternoon at the BC Legislature probably can't come soon enough.
That after a week that has put her into the middle of a political firestorm over the government's plans to overhaul the Freedom of Information process in the province.
As we've noted through the week, the NDP legislation has been the focal point for both the opposition in the Legislature and the larger collective of the media, with both raising a range of alarms over any number of elements of the government's plans.
Horgan government takes the 'Free' out of Freedom of Information Access
One more voice has now entered the fray and it's a fairly significant one, with Michael McEvoy the Information and Privacy Commissioner for the Province of British Columbia sending off a seven page letter to the Minister, one which starts off with a request for a conversation prior to the bill making its way to third reading.
Something that perhaps the NDP Government should have considered well before introducing what has become some controversial legislation planning.
Click to enlarge |
Following that introductory paragraph, the rest of the letter raises a lengthy list of concerns over the proposals.
A check list that the opposition and media will no doubt take note of and continue to take the Government to task over until the bill passes thanks to the NDP majority, or the government hears the wisdom of some of the calls for change and with makes significant alterations or abandons the proposal completely.
Among the Information and Privacy Commissioners concerns
Absence of information about key regulations
Data linking
Data residency
Proposed privacy breach notification rules
Subsidiary corporations
Addition of a new public body
Snooping offences
New exclusions of records from FIPPA
Application fees for access requests
Authorizing public bodies to disregard access requests
Error in s. 36 of Bill 22
Restoring the s. 13 protection for “advice or recommendations” to its original intent
Special Committee to Review the Freedom of Information
Protection of Privacy Act
click to enlarge |
click to enlarge |
click to enlarge |
click to enlarge |
No comments:
Post a Comment