John Minihan (Progressive Democrats)

I am glad there are no proposed changes on a request for personal records. The legislation does not in any way impede the rights of the individual who continues to have free access to information on him or her. Its spirit is to tighten up areas that need improvement in order to create better legislation and better government. This is what legislators are elected to do. There is no public service aspect to media trawling of government in an effort to look for a story which serves no purpose other than to deflect from the real issues of the day.

I am satisfied that the Bill contains a number of amendments aimed at improving the operation of the Act. Questions are being asked about the deliberative process. The question of whether the process has ended is a difficult one. It serves no purpose for information on such deliberations to be released in advance of their conclusion. The introduction of a mechanism by which a Secretary General will have to certify the completion of the process is welcome. It will bring the process to a full and complete conclusion at which time all records will be released.

The Freedom of Information Act has been effective in allowing ordinary citizens access to documents pertaining to them held by public bodies. None of the amendments that the Bill proposes will change this fact. As proposed, they are no more than practical and sensible in allowing Government to carry out its work effectively while allowing liberal but reasonable access to records on its deliberations.