Mr. Speaker, I rise today to set the record straight with respect to access to information and the government's record on this fundamental principle of democracy in Canada.
This government takes citizens' rights of access to information very seriously. In 2006 it was this government that brought in the Federal Accountability Act. We made public institutions more open, accountable and transparent than at any time in the nation's history. We broadened the law to include crown corporations, foundations and agents of Parliament. As a result, 70 more public institutions are now covered by the Access to Information Act, bringing the total number of organizations subject to the legislation to about 255.
These organizations are now accountable to the same Canadian taxpayers who pay their salaries, organizations like the Canadian Wheat Board, the CBC, Via Rail, the Public Sector Pension Investment Board, Export Development Canada and many others.
We did not stop there. We fought for Canadians' right to know how their government operates. We eliminated the coordination of access to information request system, known as CAIRS. That system was used by Liberals to centralize control of access to information requests. When Liberals did not like a request or were worried about being exposed, they filed the request away in a sea of bureaucracy. That is not how this government operates.
However, that is not to say there are not sometimes delays. In fact, the very question we are discussing today refers to a case where Treasury Board was not able to respond to a reporter's request in a timely manner. We in this government think that is unacceptable and are working to ensure that all requesters get their answers in as timely a fashion as possible.
I am happy to point out that Treasury Board Secretariat responded to 72% of requests within 30 days last year, but we think we can still do even better. That is why we are still working to improve the system and transparency and openness across the government.
We have also been pleased to work with the information commissioner to ensure that Canadians have access to information about their government. We have taken action to address the issues identified in his report last year. For example, we have asked officials to improve the administration of the Access to Information Act, and we have updated our information management practices to make the information easier to find. This is at the core of being able to provide information to Canadians in a timely manner.
We have developed a new directive on record keeping under the policy on information management. We have also created an information management strategy and an action plan that establishes annual objectives and priorities to support improved information management.
We are working with Statistics Canada to improve how it tracks statistics. We want to make sure that its data are useful and provide a comprehensive picture of the government's access to information and privacy program.
We are also working to train public servants so they have a better understanding and awareness of the act. This is crucial because it is non-partisan and concerns professional public servants who are responsible for administering the act. Elected officials and political staff are not the ones making the decisions regarding these releases.
Lastly, we are committed to ensuring continued improvements in processing requests for information. Last year, for example, we delivered some 75 training sessions for public service officials. On average, we deliver 60 training sessions every single year.
These actions demonstrate the government's unwavering commitment to openness and accountability and to a strong access to information system that serves Canadians first.