September 28, 2012
Right to Know (RTK) Week 2012 Essay Competition
As part of the celebrations for Right to Know (RTK) Week (September 24 to 28 2012), the Office of the Information and Privacy Commissioner (OIPC) is launching the 3rd RTK Week Essay Competition, along with sponsoring organizations, Memorial University of Newfoundland (MUN) and College of the North Atlantic (CNA).
The purpose of RTK Week is to raise awareness of individual’s right to access government information, while promoting freedom of information as essential to both democracy and good governance. The RTK Week Essay Competition helps further this purpose, particularly amongst secondary and post-secondary students.
Entrants are asked to write on the timely topic of amendments to provincial access to information legislation. Bill 29 contained a number of amendments to the Access to Information and Protection of Privacy Act (ATIPPA) which were debated in the Newfoundland and Labrador House of Assembly in June 2012, and are now in force. In reflecting upon these developments, students are asked to address the following:
How have changes to the ATIPPA impacted the right of access to information, either positively or negatively, in this province? Have those changes helped to achieve a balance between: 1) protecting the right of access to information; and 2) ensuring the provincial government and other public bodies are able to keep certain information confidential in order to operate effectively? Why or why not?”
The winning essay writer in this year’s competition will be awarded a prize valued at $400.00, with the second and third place prizes valued at $150.00 and $50.00, respectively. In addition to cash awards, the winning essays may also be published on the OIPC website. Award-winning essays are chosen anonymously by a panel of judges representing the organizations involved.
This contest is open to Newfoundlanders and Labradorians studying at the secondary or post-secondary level, as well as non-residents studying at Newfoundland and Labrador secondary and post-secondary institutions. Entries are to be a maximum of 1000 words, and must be submitted directly to the OIPC via e-mail at commissioner@oipc.nl.ca, or at the below address postmarked no later than December 31, 2012:
Office of the Information and Privacy Commissioner
2nd Floor, 34 Pippy Place
P.O. Box 13004, Station A St.
John’s, NL A1B 3V8
For full contest details and restrictions, please see the OIPC website at
www.oipc.nl.ca 
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Media contact:
Ed Ring
Information and Privacy Commissioner
709-729-6309
2012 09 28 10:20 a.m.