Justice and Public Safety
September 26, 2016
Open and Transparent
Right to Know Week Highlighted by Provincial Government
September 26 to October 2, is Right to Know Week in Newfoundland and Labrador and across Canada. The first Right to Know Week was celebrated in Canada in 2006 and is intended to raise awareness about people’s right to access government information while promoting freedom of information as essential to both democracy and good governance.
“Right to Know Week is an excellent opportunity to remind citizens of their rights to information and the value we place, as a government, on openness and sharing of information. Thanks to the hard work and dedication of ATIPP coordinators the majority of the access to information requests are being responded to within the prescribed time frames. Right to Know Week is a great time to highlight the tremendous contributions ATIPP coordinators make year round, especially in light of the significant increase in ATIPP requests being submitted. I encourage everyone to continue to seek out information informally or through the
Access to Information and Protection of Privacy Act, 2015.”
- The Honourable Andrew Parsons, Minister of Justice and Public Safety and Attorney General and Minister Responsible for the Access to Information and Protection of Privacy Office
Over the past number of years, there has been a significant increase in the number of access to information requests submitted. For fiscal year 2015-16, there were just over 1,400 ATIPP requests submitted, an 86 per cent increase over the previous year with 96 per cent of requests being completed on time. For the first quarter of 2016-17 alone, there have been over 720 ATIPP requests submitted.
For more information on how to make a formal access to information request visit the ATIPP Office website at www.atipp.gov.nl.ca/info/accessrequestform.html
QUICK FACTS
- September 26 to October 2 is Right to Know Week in Newfoundland and Labrador and across Canada.
- Right to Know Week was established to raise awareness about people’s right to access government information while promoting freedom of information as essential to both democracy and good governance.
- For fiscal year 2015-16, there was an 86 per cent increase in the number of ATIPP requests submitted over the previous year and 96 per cent of requests were completed on time.
- For the first quarter of 2016-17, there have been over 720 requests submitted.
- For more information on how to make a formal access to information request visit the ATIPP Office website at www.atipp.gov.nl.ca/info/accessrequestform.html
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Media contact:
| Jacquelyn Howard Director of Communications Department of Justice and Public Safety 709-729-6985, 689-2624 jacquelynhoward@gov.nl.ca |
2016 09 26 10:25 p.m.