By Brian Lee
There will be plenty of political discussion as we approach May’s provincial election but there’s at least one critical issue on which we should hold both parties accountable. It’s the growing trend to restrict public access to information on how our government operates.
A report released last month by information and privacy commissioner Elizabeth Denham said that, while the Liberals are complying with Freedom of Information laws to assist the public, they have also shown "evidence of the practice of ‘oral government.’" The review found that 45 per cent of all requests to Premier Christy Clark’s office last year failed to find a paper trail of any kind.
Across government, Denham found that no records turned up for 25 per cent of all requests last year, doubling from 13 per cent four years ago. During a time of slippery "communications" specialists and politicians giving hockey player interviews, FOI is the last hope for a journalist or concerned citizen to access even the simplest details about government activity.
With the provincial Libs plagued by any number of shady deals and allegations of underhanded politicking, they have the gall to send Chilliwack MP John Les up to the mike to tell us that a "paper trail" isn’t practical. It seems the practice of hiding behind personal emails was fairly entrenched before the Liberals’ "ethnic plan" exploded into view, giving us a glimpse into how they conduct business. When Clark’s caucus grew uncomfortable with auditor general John Doyle meddling in that business — he described a "culture of entitlement" in the BC legislature — they tried to get rid of him.
We have a right to learn what motivates a decision by government — or lack thereof. You may wonder why the Spiel doesn’t report more about the progress of local issues like the Pender Harbour foreshore lease moratorium. For close to 10 years now, any question posed to the ministry in charge gets a polite:
"... the province is continuing to work with the Shishálh nation to resolve the various issues to the benefit of all parties."
And good luck speaking directly with a government employee these days. Questions are often first directed (via email) to a ministry communications officer and after they consult, you are left with a watered-down response that usually leaves more questions than what you started with.
The BC Libs didn’t invent the formula for neutering access to information — they copied Stephen Harper’s habits of restricting press conferences and muzzling government scientists. But whether we’re talking about a government that goes out of its way to hide its tracks or one that restricts the publication of research identifying the environmental costs of Canada’s petroleum industry, it should be considered an abuse of power.
If Clark and the government she inherited from Gordon Campbell aren’t corrupt, then their evasive communications policies surely makes it seem so. But we don’t know for certain either way and for that reason, they have to go. And if they do, it should be taken as a warning to the NDP to take solid steps in restoring the public’s confidence in how government handles our business.
Because we aren’t voting them in, we’re voting the others out.