OTTAWA | The Defense Ministry was criticized Wednesday by the Information Commissioner for failing to respond to citizens’ requests.
In a report to Parliament, Commissioner Caroline Maynard ruled after a systemic investigation that the methods employed by the ministry are “outdated or ineffective” and would not be the only institution in this case.
“The survey shows that it is imperative that all federal institutions follow sound information management practices,” she said in a press release. Our access to information systems also need senior institutional officials to champion Canadians’ right of access. ”
She criticized in particular the lack of training of the people in charge of the applications, the red tape and the outdatedness of the procedures.
The Commissioner presented her nine areas of concern to Minister of Defense Harjit Sajjan, so that improvements can be made in the management of access to information.
The investigation also revealed that the processing of an access request in 2018 linked to Vice-Admiral Mark Norman – unfairly accused at the time of having leaked confidential information to a company – “constituted proof of the possible commission of a violation of the Access to Information Act ”, which led the Commissioner to contact the Attorney General of Canada in 2019.
The Access to Information Law allows every citizen to request official documents from a public administration, but critics, including the media, believe that it no longer fits with current technologies and transparency needs.
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