Video "Allow the Ontario Ombudsman into Municipalities!" Please click here to go directly to YouTube
Special thank you to fellow citizen-blogger, Karem Allen of Voices of Ajax for giving me the heads up that the registration details were posted online yesterday.
I've already registered --$55.00 (the equivalent of 11 Freedom of Information forms filled out. A BARGAIN!) So see you on October 31st at the "Ontario needs transparent and open government" luncheon! Here's the info you'll need.
Attention News Editors:
Ontario needs transparent and open government
TORONTO, Oct. 15 /CNW/ - Ontario's Information and Privacy Commissioner, Dr. Ann Cavoukian, is sponsoring a special luncheon Wednesday, October 31 to help focus attention on Ontarians' right to know what elected and appointed officials are doing - and why.
"Government accountability is the cornerstone of democracy," said the Commissioner. "For citizens to participate meaningfully in the democratic process - and be able to hold politicians and bureaucrats accountable - they have to have access to the information held by government."
The October 31 luncheon, co-sponsored by the IPC and the Toronto Regional Group of the Institute of Public Administration of Canada, will feature a panel - moderated by Dr. Cavoukian - that includes Justice Sidney B. Linden, the recently appointed Conflict of Interest Commissioner; André Marin, Ontario's Ombudsman; and Jim McCarter, Auditor General of Ontario.
The panel will explore a variety of issues related to Ontarians' right to know, including what is working and, more importantly, what is not, when it comes to government openness and transparency. [emphasis mine]
The luncheon is being held at the Dominion Club, at King and Yonge Streets, Toronto. Advance registration is required. For ticket information and registration details, please visit for the pdf file at:
http://m1e.net/c?63851148-vexgqUHXyWnIw%402772603-25iTcnB0lIwoc
Or send an e-mail to info@ipc.on.ca and registration information will be e-mailed to you.
The Information and Privacy Commissioner is appointed by and reports to the Ontario Legislative Assembly, and is independent of the government of the day. The Commissioner's mandate includes overseeing the access and privacy provisions of the Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act and the Municipal Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act, as well as the Personal Health Information Protection Act, and helping to educate the public about access and privacy issues.
For further information: Media Contact: Bob Spence, Communications
Co-ordinator, Direct line: (416) 326-3939, Cell phone: (416) 873-9746, Toll
free: 1-800-387-0073, bob.spence@ipc.on.ca
DETAILS FROM THE PDF file:
October 31, 2007
12:00 p.m. to 2:00 p.m.
Dominion Club, Member’s Dining Room 2nd Floor, 1 King St. W.,Toronto
(southwest corner of King and Yonge)
A lunch will be provided
Context: This is the second annual luncheon sponsored by Ontario’s Information and Privacy Commissioner, Dr. Ann Cavoukian, to explore issues related to Ontarians’ right to know what elected politicians and appointed civil servants are doing – and why.
Commissioner Cavoukian will serve as the moderator of a panel that includes three of her fellow Officers of the Ontario Legislature – Justice Sidney B. Linden, the recently appointed Conflict of Interest Commissioner; Andre Marin, Ontario Ombudsman; and Jim McCarter, Auditor General of Ontario.
Commissioner Cavoukian and the panelists will briefly outline what their roles are and then discuss what is working and what isn’t, when it comes to government openness and transparency.
Ontario’s Information and Privacy Commissioner, Dr. Ann Cavoukian
Objectives: The Commissioners and other Officers of the Legislature will draw the public’s attention to additional steps that the government needs to take to improve openness and transparency.
What you will get out of it:
A clear understanding of some of the major issues involving openness and transparency in Ontario today.
An insightful look at the thoughts of this diverse group of Officers of the Ontario Legislature and what they want the government to act on quickly.
Time is being set aside for a question and answer session, so you can feel free to raise questions about what has been discussed.
To Register:
Prepayment required by
cheque or Visa/Amex/Mastercard
Mail registrations to:
IPAC Toronto Regional Group
c/o Kit Chapman
123 Scadding Avenue, Ste 803,
Toronto M5A 4J3
Or
Fax to: (416) 363-5612
For further information:
please contact:
Kit Chapman at 416-363-6509 x1
email: ipac-trg@sympatico.ca
OR...
Send an e-mail to info@ipc.on.ca and registration information will be e-mailed to you.
I'LL LEAVE YOU-ALL WITH THIS THOUGHT
WHY HAVING THE NECESSARY INFORMATION IS VITAL TO DECISION-MAKING
Which reminds me. I'm STILL waiting for one vital piece of Enersource information to be emailed to me from The Big Yellow...
Signed,
The (Allow the Ontario Ombudsman into Municipalities...MUSH) Mississauga Muse
BLOG KEYWORDS: Ontario Information and Privacy Commissioner Dr. Ann Cavoukian Justice Sidney B. Linden, Conflict of Interest Commissioner; Andre Marin, Ontario Ombudsman; Jim McCarter, Auditor General of Ontario Freedom Right to Know
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"We must employ every possible tactic to dissuade those who try to silence us with fear"
---The Mississauga News Editorial (2007-03-24)
"Edward R. Murrow --My Hero". To Go Directly to the clip on YouTube or Google Video)
"Mississauga Saga". To Go Directly to the clip on YouTube or Google Video)
"A Flag named The Andre Marin". To Go Directly to the clip on YouTube or Google Video)
"MISSISSAUGA --HOWZIT'S GOING" CARTOON ARCHIVE
Links to all previous cartoons in the Mississauga Howzit's Going series.
FELLOW-CITIZEN BLOGGERS
Voices of Ajax (Citizen-Blogger, Karem Allen)
FURTHER READING
Click here for John Stewart's Blog, RANDOM ACCESS
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Comments (1)
Council weighs open meeting options
Peterborough Examiner
Tuesday, Oct. 16
By DON PEAT
City council got a glimpse of coming changes to the Municipal Act and two councillors aren't waiting for an expected 10 future staff reports on the changes to weigh in.
Northcrest Coun. Bob Hall and Monaghan Ward Coun. Jack Doris both came out in favour last night of the provincial ombudsman to carry out any investigation into closed door meetings.
Under the Municipal Statute Law Amendment Act, a person can request an investigation of whether a municipality or local board has complied with the open meeting provisions under the act as of Jan. 1.
An investigation will be mandatory.
City clerk Nancy Wright-Laking told Doris a report recommending an investigator will be coming to council within the next seven weeks.
Doris said he wasn't in favour of appointing an investigator and said he would prefer the ombudsman.
Wright-Laking said if the city does not provide an investigator it will fall to the ombudsman.
Hall said he preferred the ombudsman because he would be neutral and impartial whereas an investigator on retainer for the city would be loyal to the municipality.
They won't say anything out of fear their contract won't be renewed, he said.
Chief administrator Linda Reed said there are several options available including an option put together by the Association of Municipalities of Ontario.
"Some may be more reasonable for us to look at than others," Reed said.
Hall also applauded the report's section on accountability and transparency.
Under the new legislation, accountability includes how councillors and staff are held to account for their actions, how actions are explained and the level of detail that is provided in justification of certain actions, the report states.
Transparency relates to the ability of members of the public to observe how decisions are made and implemented, the report states.
Hall said in the next few months council needs to look at how it goes about routine disclosure.
"We should be disclosing before it's even requested," he said. "If information is asked by a citizen then that information should be provided for."
According to the staff report, the required changes will also affect the business licensing bylaw, the role of council, the role of the head of council, the notice policy, the enforcement of bylaws and delegation of responsibility.
Actions city council will have to take will be the subject of future reports to council, the report states.
Posted by Anonymous | October 16, 2007 3:02 PM
Posted on October 16, 2007 15:02