Privacy watchdog report on BC Libs

[maryjane48]

The province’s privacy watchdog has released a report slamming the former B.C. Liberal government for routinely dropping the ball with freedom of information requests (FOI).


Acting Commissioner Drew MacArthur said they saw consistently poor compliance rates and an increase in the length of time it takes to process a request.

http://glbn.ca/AaqJQT

[Cactusflower]

Same story on Castanet, and as usual, we hear crickets from the BCLP Fan Club on these forums. I guess they're quite content to have been treated like a mushroom farm from 2001 to 2017.

[flamingfingers]

But, but in 2001 didn't the Campbell government promise to be "Open, Transparent and Accountable'??

And in 2013 didn't Christy Clark positively state that her government would be "Open, Transparent and Accountable.??

Now the watchdog is saying:

The province’s privacy watchdog has released a report slamming the former B.C. Liberal government for routinely dropping the ball with freedom of information requests (FOI).


Acting Commissioner Drew MacArthur said they saw consistently poor compliance rates and an increase in the length of time it takes to process a request.

Oh my!! So Campbell and Clark LIED??? I'm shocked, shocked.......

[rustled]

The report chronicles a steady increase in the number of requests over the years, but McArthur says the government cannot be let off the hook simply because more people are exercising their rights.
https://www.castanet.net/edition/news-s ... htm#207093

Agreed. What can we expect the current government will do to address this problem?

[Urbane]

Same story on Castanet, and as usual, we hear crickets from the BCLP Fan Club on these forums. I guess they're quite content to have been treated like a mushroom farm from 2001 to 2017.

I criticized the previous government numerous times for their slow response to FOI requests. Reporters were saying that it was much easier to get FOI type documents from the State of Washington than it was from our provincial government. That's unacceptable.

As a hyper-partisan NDP'er you view things through your hyper-partisan glasses and you're not able to understand that many of us who don't support the NDP are not blind to the faults of the previous government.

So take off your hyper-partisan NDP glasses for a while and you'll see that many of us have most definitely not let the Liberals off the hook. Let's hope that the present government makes some positive changes in this area.

[maryjane48]

British Columbia’s privacy commissioner says the government broke its own law 20 per cent of the time last year by failing to respond to freedom of information requests in a timely manner.

Acting commissioner Drew McArthur says he is disappointed in the provincial government’s poor response rate and is concerned about a spike in the amount of time it takes to respond to overdue files, a 62-day delay last year.

McArthur is calling the results of his new report extraordinary and says it is difficult to imagine the provincial government would ever tolerate its citizens breaking the law 20 per cent of the time.

[maryjane48]

Agreed. What can we expect the current government will do to address this problem?

i guess we will find out . but what should the punishment be for bclibs 16 years of breaking the law ?

[Cactusflower]

I criticized the previous government numerous times for their slow response to FOI requests. Reporters were saying that it was much easier to get FOI type documents from the State of Washington than it was from our provincial government. That's unacceptable.

As a hyper-partisan NDP'er you view things through your hyper-partisan glasses and you're not able to understand that many of us who don't support the NDP are not blind to the faults of the previous government.

So take off your hyper-partisan NDP glasses for a while and you'll see that many of us have most definitely not let the Liberals off the hook. Let's hope that the present government makes some positive changes in this area.[/quote]

Okay, I'll take you at your word. You sometimes (begrudgingly) criticize the party of your choice, and criticize others because you think they are 'hyper-partisan'. If you were to read my comments, you'd know I'm anything but partisan. I have never become a member of any political party because when it comes to elections, I like to keep an open mind, spend a lot of time researching the candidates in my riding, then voting accordingly.

Of course, party policies play a role as well, and that is why I could never in good conscience vote for a BC Liberal candidate. Besides, the BC Liberal candidates in my riding nave been arrogance personified, so I've had one less candidate to research anyway.

And yes, I agree that the present government must make some positive changes.

[rustled]

Agreed. What can we expect the current government will do to address this problem?

i guess we will find out . but what should the punishment be for bclibs 16 years of breaking the law ?

From what Urbane posted, it sounds like Washington State may have a better system. Perhaps the NDP can compare their system to ours, along with taking MacArthur's suggestions seriously, and make some positive headway. (It seems to me they ought to have been on top of this while in opposition. They probably were waiting on the FOI requests at least as often as anyone else.)

As to an appropriate punishment, that's a good question. What would you suggest? Did MacArthur not offer any suggestions as to punishment? If not, why not?

[seewood]

Agreed. What can we expect the current government will do to address this problem?

That's an easy one.... form a commission and study the program with a corresponding news flash that the NDG have created hundreds of new jobs in just their first 4 months in power....
No mention that each new job is another government appointee with their wages lightening my wallet...

[rustled]

Agreed. What can we expect the current government will do to address this problem?

That's an easy one.... form a commission and study the program with a corresponding news flash that the NDG have created hundreds of new jobs in just their first 4 months in power....
No mention that each new job is another government appointee with their wages lightening my wallet...

OMG, you're probably right.

[Rider59]

The province’s privacy watchdog has released a report slamming the former B.C. Liberal government for routinely dropping the ball with freedom of information requests (FOI).


Acting Commissioner Drew MacArthur said they saw consistently poor compliance rates and an increase in the length of time it takes to process a request.

http://glbn.ca/AaqJQT

I wish people would learn the difference between the bureaucratic and the political arms of governments. This includes this NDP lap dog er, I mean privacy watchdog/

[Smurf]

I agree with Urbane. I have also criticised the Liberals for this in the past. Many times I was even criticised for being a NDP supporter. Now it goes the other way because I criticise the NDP. People can't seem to understand that some of us disagree with doing wrong and nothing to do with the party or person doing it. Anyone that needed this report to inform them about this problem must have been asleep the whole time. For sure they never followed any news. Anyone who believes a politician and all their promises must have their head deep in the sand.

[maryjane48]

I agree with Urbane. I have also criticised the Liberals for this in the past. Many times I was even criticised for being a NDP supporter. Now it goes the other way because I criticise the NDP. People can't seem to understand that some of us disagree with doing wrong and nothing to do with the party or person doing it. Anyone that needed this report to inform them about this problem must have been asleep the whole time. For sure they never followed any news. Anyone who believes a politician and all their promises must have their head deep in the sand.

but where is your posts condeming the bclibs over this ? same as anyone else that voted bclib. at best it was clark bad followed by oh well as long as its them in power its not big deal .

[maryjane48]

interesting the bclib supportrrs are more concerned with tax money maybe going to elections instead of laundered money by chinese through casinos and the clark govt ignoring the law 20 percent the time ? we keep hearing how certain bclib supporters held clark and campbell to task but the reality is lipservice to a partisan agenda weather its trashing first nation rights or squandering tax money on needless capitol projects bc doesnt need or losing lawsuits based on ego