N.S. privacy commissioner questions transparency around cabinet records
Nova Scotia’s information and privacy commissioner says new rules regarding public access to provincial cabinet records will result in less transparency.
In a letter to ministers in his annual report, David Nurse says changes that go into effect in April will completely shield all cabinet records from requests made under the province’s freedom of information law.
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He says the current rules already provide very limited access to records involving cabinet deliberations.
The government is currently allowed to withhold information that would reveal the substance of cabinet discussions, with only background information routinely released.
Nurse says Nova Scotians are not receiving unreasonable access to records under the current law.
He says the changes are a break from the practice in other provinces, such as British Columbia and Newfoundland and Labrador.
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“In our view, there was no valid reason for such dramatic changes to the law,” Nurse said.
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