England, Australia and Ireland have, if I am not mistaken, created a system according to which journalistic material is completely excluded from disclosure. This has the merit of being clear. Our main argument is that at this time, the system is not broken.
If it ain't broke, don't fix it.
The decision of the Federal Court of Appeal gave the Information Commissioner a certain right of oversight. This allows her to determine whether CBC/Radio-Canada is entitled to protect material, and whether that material is really journalistic. We are satisfied with that test and the current process.
The bill as it stands runs the risk of doing far more harm than good. We agree that CBC/Radio-Canada be subject to the Access to Information Act, and that a minimum of information should be accessible, but we must make sure that the fundamental principles of freedom of the press, the protection of sources and of journalistic material, are protected. This is at the heart of our concerns.