Access Delayed, Accountability Denied: Barriers to Transparency in Canada’s Information System
(Image courtesy CBC)
As reported by Coastal Front, nearly a decade after Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s pledge to make government “open by default,” Canada’s Access to Information and Privacy (ATIP) system remains marred by delays, redactions, and procedural hurdles. Coastal Front’s recent attempt to access federal records regarding taxpayer-funded grants awarded to Big Bad Boo Studios Inc. through Global Affairs Canada’s International Development Assistance and Counter-Terrorism Capacity Building programs illustrates the bureaucratic obstacles that persist.
In June of this year, Coastal Front submitted a request to Global Affairs Canada for all documents detailing the multi-million-dollar grants given to Big Bad Boo, seeking emails, memoranda, and related records. Although the ATIP Act requires responses within 30 days, Coastal Front waited 50 days without an update. After an inquiry, Global Affairs Canada cited high volumes and staffing shortages, promising a “quality review” but offering no clarity on timelines.
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More delays followed. Months into the process, Coastal Front received a notice that the file was on hold and that a narrower scope—fewer document types or a reduced timeframe—could expedite processing. These suggestions to narrow the scope came only after significant waiting, echoing a pattern noted by journalists across the country.
This problem directly impacts the public interest. Access to records related to the disbursement of taxpayer funds through government programs is a critical aspect of ensuring transparency and accountability. When millions of public dollars are allocated to private companies, the ability of journalists, researchers, and citizens to verify that these funds are managed appropriately is fundamental to maintaining public trust.
Coastal Front’s previous reporting highlighted similar challenges, including calls from experts and Information Commissioner Caroline Maynard for a digital overhaul and reduced procedural delays. Far from the “open by default” system promised in 2015, the ATIP process frequently relies on outdated systems and inconsistent standards that can obstruct timely access to public records.
This experience echoes a similar lack of transparency observed at the provincial level. In a previous report, Coastal Front highlighted the BC government’s excessive redactions in documents related to its Offshore Schools Program, where nearly 95 percent of requested documents on the program’s review were withheld. Both federal and provincial practices reveal a pattern of restricting access to public information, hindering accountability.
As for Big Bad Boo, despite delays, Coastal Front intends to pursue the request, and as the experience demonstrates, without a colossal shift prioritizing transparency, Canada’s access-to-information system will remain a barrier to government accountability—continuing to erode the very openness it is supposed to uphold.