Author: Sean Holman

This article originally appeared on Sean Holman’s Unknowable Country. Alberta’s freedom of information law is weak and underused. Yet, in an election where one of the most important issues is government accountability, there has been surprisingly little discussion about reforming that law — despite a proposed policy change that could

“I’m mad as Hell and I’m not going to take this anymore.” That was how some journalists seemed to respond last week to an open letter I wrote about how government communications staff are helping to kill democracy. But, if we want to save it, we’re going to need to do more than just throw

“I’m mad as Hell and I’m not going to take this anymore.” That was how some journalists seemed to respond last week to an open letter I wrote about how government communications staff are helping to kill democracy. But, if we want to save it, we’re going to need to do more than just throw

Dear government spin doctor, I am working on a story about how the job you’re doing is helping to kill Canada’s democracy. I know that your role, as a so-called communications professional, is to put the best spin on what the government is or isn’t doing. That means you often don’t respond the

Dear government spin doctor, I am working on a story about how the job you’re doing is helping to kill Canada’s democracy. I know that your role, as a so-called communications professional, is to put the best spin on what the government is or isn’t doing. That means you often don’t respond the

In their recently published book Your Right to Know, journalists Jim Bronskill and David McKie have done yeomans’ work explaining how Canadians can use freedom of information requests to get government secrets. But, at the federal level, it’s work they shouldn’t have needed to do – pointing to another problem with

“All media requests are not equal.” Journalists from small, alternative and independent media outlets have long believed that’s why they get no response or a delayed response when they contact the government for information. That can make it more difficult for them to break stories, frustrating the public’s right to know. But it’s

Partisans may not believe it, but Canada’s “culture of secrecy” existed long before Stephen Harper moved into the prime minister’s office. And it’ll be around long after he moves out, unless Canadians do more than just cast their ballots in the next election. That’s why four groups concerned about freedom of