Mr. Speaker, it is a great pleasure for me to participate in the debate on Bill C-206, an act to amend the Access to Information Act, by the member for Wentworth—Burlington.
I am very honoured to have seconded the bill as well. I have had the opportunity to work with members on both sides of the House on a variety of legislation. In this particular instance, however, it is indeed a particular honour to associate myself with the bill, Bill C-206, of the member for Wentworth—Burlington. The reason is that I know the member very well.
I came to this place in 1993 with the member. I have watched his work, he has watched my work and we have collaborated on a number of things. I have great admiration for his work. He has been one of the champions of openness, transparency and accountability in this place. He has been a voice in the wilderness at times, calling out and seeking to find ways in which governments can demonstrate more fully that the principles of fairness and equity, of openness, transparency and accountability are hallmarks in all that we do in every aspect of our job.
It is only when Canadians believe that everything that we do in this place, every decision that we make, every action that we take is on behalf of Canadians and that we have nothing to fear and nothing to hide. In fact it is in our best interest that Canadians are better informed about what it costs to run a government, about the kinds of things that we invest and spend in, about the nature of the decisions and the rationale and the things that Canadians need to know so that they can continue to have confidence in their legislators and indeed in their government.
When we get information, I think it is human nature for us all to consider the source of the information. It is that source of the information that we look to for a degree of credibility. I feel so very strongly about this bill because of where it came from. It is a private member's bill. It comes from a member who has spent the better part of six years of his personal time and has even gone to the extent of hiring his own legislative counsel to assist him.
I have seen many private members' bills, many of which are a paragraph long with one or two clauses. This is probably the most comprehensive private member's bill I have seen in over six years. It touches one of the most important pieces of legislation we have in Canada. It boldly goes out and says that we have an act that is outdated, an act that needs to be not only updated but needs to reflect what Canadians have asked us to reflect in our legislation, which is the aspect of openness.
When we consider the very first amendment that the member proposed in this bill, it was to change the name of the bill from the Access to Information Act to the open government act. It is very significant that the member began on the right foot, that the whole intent and theme of this bill, the many pages and clauses, dealt with the openness of government.
It is a day we should celebrate because members of parliament can now stand in this place and say “We value the principles of openness, transparency and accountability. We know this is what Canadians have wanted. We know it is responding to the fundamental needs and rights of Canadians. This is the right thing to do”.
I contemplated making an amendment to this act because I thought that if I were to think of a member in this place who was reflective of the values of openness, transparency, accountability and of serving the people of Canada, it would be the member for Wentworth—Burlington. I would have proposed an amendment to change the name he is proposing, open government act, to the Bryden act. I believe the member has earned the reputation in this place to be recognized as someone who stands for the principles that he is articulating in this bill.
I give him credit and I want his constituents and Canadians to know that there is a member of parliament in this place who has dedicated at least six years of his work, in addition to all his responsibilities as a member of parliament, to an initiative that he feels very strongly about and is dedicated to.
On top of that, I recognize him further for the fact that he has come before us and placed this bill with some humility. We know there has been great difficulty getting this bill shaped and fashioned. I know the consultations he has had right across the House. He has even come here today, given a speech, and said that the bill is not perfect yet but that the bill belongs to the House.
He is asking the House to consider the bill, to consider his hard work and to send it to committee so we can have the very best experts look at each of the clauses and provisions so it can be, as stated in the member's closing remarks, the best Access to Information Act in the world. What a noble objective, to have the best Access to Information Act in the world. It is something to which Canada should aspire. It is something to which the member aspires. I believe there are many members in this place who share his values and his wish that we make this act a better act.
I know there will be some debate on it. I am surprised that some members have already declared that they will not support it. Some of the changes are very complex. It will take legal advice, legislative expertise and broad consultation with Canadians to ensure that we get it right. The member has asked us to please help him get it right, which is why we should send this to committee.
Let me give some examples. He wants to broaden the notion of openness. He states that very clearly in the second amendment. He is bringing in the whole concept of electronic data, which is not covered under the current act. That reason alone is enough for the act to be amended. There is no question in my mind that even if the members of this place decided that all the other changes proposed by the member were not ready for their time, this change is absolutely necessary.
We cannot deny the fact that we are in a global and electronic world. Information does have many forms now and we have to respond to realities. We cannot be followers. With this bill, we have an opportunity to be leaders.
In looking at these provisions, we should consider that they actually require prompt attention. The bill actually considers that a balance is needed between the need to know and personal information. It looks at so many different aspects that I could not possibly address them all.
While I was in my office last evening I had a conversation with the member because I wanted to inform myself a little more about some of the provisions. I was actually astounded at the number of ways in which we can improve this particular bill. I am sure that it is a bill which, if the member had not come up with it, the government itself would have tabled a bill to amend the Access to Information Act, in some cases to ensure that we would respond to some of the fundamental changes that have occurred in our society.
The Private Members' Business question troubles me from time to time. This bill, if it goes to committee and is enacted, will become a law of Canada, equal in all respects to other laws in terms of its force and its stature within the Statutes of Canada. However, the process that the member has had to go through, the time and the restrictions and the fact that we cannot even ask questions of the member in this place, shows that we have a second class process to deal with a first class bill. It is as valid as any other bill in this place.
I will conclude by again congratulating the member for Wentworth—Burlington for his hard work, his insight and his representation of what many members would like to have brought forward themselves. He has given us a tool, an instrument to work with. I believe it is an excellent starting point. I know the member is anxious to work with all members of the House to make sure that we do have the best Access to Information Act in the world.