ETHI Committee Report

Recommendation 1

This Committee recommends that the government introduce a new access to information act, and consider in the development of reform legislation the content of this and other reports of this Committee.

Recommendation 2

This Committee recommends that the Treasury Board Secretariat
up-date the access to information policy and guidelines to better prevent miscommunication between requesters and ATIP officers or departmental staff in the future.

Recommendation 3

This Committee recommends that the government require that all ATIP coordinators have extensive training, including the Information Access and Protection of Privacy Certificate Program at the University of Alberta courses or compatible ATIP training program, and be certified pursuant to national standards and that all training programs be available in both official languages.

Recommendation 4

This Committee recommends that the Treasury Board Secretariat develop new guidelines to aid officials in the implementation of the new duty to assist requesters under section 4(2.1) of the Access to Information Act.

Recommendation 5

This Committee recommends that Privy Council Office amend its document entitled “Accounting Officers: Guidance on Roles, Responsibilities and Appearances before Parliamentary Committees” and take other steps necessary to ensure that deputy ministers and other officials are always well prepared for appearances before parliamentary committee meetings, including by bringing with them all relevant documents to which they might reasonably anticipate they might have to refer.