Evidence of meeting #17 for Access to Information, Privacy and Ethics in the 42nd Parliament, 1st Session. (The original version is on Parliament’s site, as are the minutes.) The winning word was commissioner.
A recording is available from Parliament.
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Liberal
Nathaniel Erskine-Smith Liberal Beaches—East York, ON
So if not directly, indirectly, as taxpayers we ought to have that information.
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Member, Independent Statutory Review Committee
You're entitled to that information from government offices. If government isn't requiring the agency to provide it, government would be derelict in its duty.
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Member, Independent Statutory Review Committee
But the source of accessing the information would be through the government.
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Member, Independent Statutory Review Committee
Mr. Chair, there's one thing that I've been thinking about for the last few minutes that I overlooked mentioning in choosing between a hybrid model or an order-making model.
Another reason for going with a hybrid model is that one of the primary responsibilities of the commissioner is to be an advocate for the release of information and to advocate for the rights of citizens to access information and to promote ideas and means by which such information can be accessed.
If the person who has that responsibility also has the responsibility to be the independent arbiter between the holder of the information and the requester of the information, there's a conflict of interest.
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Member, Independent Statutory Review Committee
But in the hybrid model, that conflict disappears.
I'm sorry I overlooked emphasizing that.
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Conservative
The Chair Conservative Blaine Calkins
I would excuse that because it's a very important point you just made, Mr. Wells.
On behalf of the committee, I want to thank you all for coming here and having this discussion with us. We hope that if we need to call you back in the future as we move through.... And we commend you for the excellent work that led to the legislative changes in Newfoundland and Labrador, which I think is head and shoulders above anything else we have in the country right now.
We thank you very much for your time, your dedication, your patience, and your wisdom. Keep doing the great work.
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Member, Independent Statutory Review Committee
Thank you very much for your kind comments.
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Conservative
The Chair Conservative Blaine Calkins
Thank you.
We'll see you all on Thursday, colleagues.
The committee is adjourned.