Ontario's Freedom of Information Law Not Good Enough

In her annual report, Ontario's Information and Privacy Commissioner Ann Cavoukian says hundreds of publicly-funded organizations escape full public scrutiny because they fall outside the jurisdiction of provincial or municipal freedom-of-information acts.

Exempt institutions include hospitals and children's aid societies.

Cavoukian is calling for amendments that would bring virtually all organizations that are primarily funded by government dollars under freedom of information legislation for the purposes of transparency and accountability.

In a few other Canadian jurisdictions, freedom-of-information laws are more inclusive, covering all organizations deemed public bodies.

In addition, Ms. Cavoukian also wants the Ontario government to create a new provincial privacy law that would include the commercial and non-government sectors. One section of her report examines the pontentially serious privacy threat from RFID (radio frequency identifiers) technology on consumer products.

Cavoukian does praise the provincial government for its plans to bring universities under FOI as well as for its Personal Health Information Protection Act.