I'll say the Access to Information Act creates an institutionally mediated information retrieval system. The key words are “institutionally mediated” and “information retrieval system”. It's an information retrieval system that government employees are involved in implementing, and I think the key to creating a culture of openness is to make that information retrieval system itself more transparent. Who's involved in retrieving the information? Who's involved in consultations? Who's involved in authorizing whatever is released? Are communications officials involved?
Behind any access to information application sometimes there can be a massive institutional bureaucracy that is coordinating that, but the end user just gets a letter in an envelope. You don't realize what's going on behind the scenes. That creates a shelter of safety, or a curtain, behind which this institution can hide. I think we need to make it more transparent so that people know what's going on behind the scenes, and people who are involved in retrieving the information on the government side are aware they are being supervised by the public.