We've had our media manipulated and all but kicked off parliament hill, our federal scientists muzzled, leading civil servants fired, and in addition muzzling quasi-judicial government bodies, but it's been discovered that the public no longer has broad access to government information.
Given that we only have vertical access to information laws, this is a considerable setback for the openness of Canadian democracy. Without tools for public scrutiny, the Conservatives have given themselves carte-blanche to indulge any number of reckless, self-serving or ideologically-driven initiatives.
And without our interest, we're helping them do it.
The cited reason for the cut was that "valuable resources currently being used to maintain CAIRS would be better used in the collection and analysis of improved statistical reporting," which, without blinking, we should know is more easily manipulated to the favour of the governing party.
Meanwhile, Auditor General Sheila Fraser has responded to a Conservative initiative to vet all communications by departments, agencies and independent officers of Parliament. Fraser served "blunt public notice this week that 'there is no way' her press releases are going to be vetted by [the Privy Council Office]."
And while I'm sure the opposition and a number of special interest groups will cry foul over this "bunkering" of Parliament hill, you really can't blame the Conservatives. This is all they have left to do after grinding parliament down into uselessness.
Given that we only have vertical access to information laws, this is a considerable setback for the openness of Canadian democracy. Without tools for public scrutiny, the Conservatives have given themselves carte-blanche to indulge any number of reckless, self-serving or ideologically-driven initiatives.
And without our interest, we're helping them do it.
The cited reason for the cut was that "valuable resources currently being used to maintain CAIRS would be better used in the collection and analysis of improved statistical reporting," which, without blinking, we should know is more easily manipulated to the favour of the governing party.
Meanwhile, Auditor General Sheila Fraser has responded to a Conservative initiative to vet all communications by departments, agencies and independent officers of Parliament. Fraser served "blunt public notice this week that 'there is no way' her press releases are going to be vetted by [the Privy Council Office]."
And while I'm sure the opposition and a number of special interest groups will cry foul over this "bunkering" of Parliament hill, you really can't blame the Conservatives. This is all they have left to do after grinding parliament down into uselessness.
Labels: censorship, cons, dictatorial tendencies
0 Comments:
Post a Comment
<< Home