OTTAWA - The federal Conservatives have quietly killed a giant information registry that was used by lawyers, academics, journalists and ordinary citizens to hold government accountable.
The registry, created in 1989, is an electronic list of every request filed to all federal departments and agencies under the Access to Information Act.
Known as CAIRS, for Co-ordination of Access to Information Requests System, the database allowed ordinary citizens to identify millions of pages of once-secret documents that became public through individual freedom-of-information requests over many years.
But in a notice last week to civil servants on the Treasury Board website, officials posted an innocuous obituary: effective April 1, 2008, "the requirement to update CAIRS is no longer in effect."
A spokesman for Treasury Board confirmed Friday that the system is being killed because "extensive" consultations showed it was not valued by government departments.
The consultations concluded "the valuable resources currently being used to maintain CAIRS would be better used in the collection and analysis of improved statistical reporting," said Robert Makichuk.
Public Works, which has operated the database, spent $166,000 improving it in 2001. As recently as 2003 federal officials had been working on a publicly accessible, online version.
Monthly paper lists have also been made available since the 1990s for public consultation at a central federal office in Ottawa.
In the meantime, a Canadian academic put the database on his website and opened it to public use, allowing citizens to quickly search thousands of requests for key words.
Alasdair Roberts, a political scientist at Syracuse University in New York, built a version of the database by requesting the CAIRS electronic records through an Access to Information Act request, and updated the site monthly.
CBC journalist David McKie took over the work in 2006 using another publicly accessible website (http://www.onlinedemocracy.ca).
Users searching key words cannot access the documents themselves, only the wording of the original access-to-information request, the date, the department, a file number, and general information about the requester, whether media, business, academic or other.
But by citing that file number, a citizen can approach the appropriate department and request copies of the already released documents.
CAIRS was originally designed as an internal government tool to manage the flow of often embarrassing information. Particularly sensitive requests from news media or opposition politicians would often be red-flagged for special handling that frequently delayed release.
But requesters soon began to mine the database to discover obscure documents, fine-tune the phrasing on new requests, and even to do statistical studies - effectively turning the tool against government.
If departments and agencies are no longer required to update the CAIRS database with new requests, its value as an accountability tool will quickly diminish, critics said.
"This is terrible and I consider this to be yet one more step in making records less accessible," said Michel Drapeau, a lawyer, frequent user and co-author of a standard reference work on access law.
"To do this now after the CAIRS' usefulness has been proven over and over again is indicative of the extent to which government will go to stifle the access regime."
New Democrat MP Dawn Black, whose office uses the database regularly, condemned the Tories for shutting down the system.
"It's another example of the Harper government's talk about accountability and transparency - they talk the talk, but they don't walk the walk."
The Conservative government has a mixed record in the area of freedom of information. The Federal Accountability Act broadened the access legislation to cover new entities, such as the CBC, Via Rail, Canada Post and even the Office of the Information Commissioner of Canada, who's the ombudsman for the system.
At the same time, long delays for responses, along with heavy censorship of documents, have become endemic.
The number of complaints received by the information commissioner in 2007-2008, for example, soared to 2,387 - more than 1,000 higher than the previous year. The level is the second-highest on record, next to the 2,821 received in 1988 - 2,242 of those from a single complainant.
> OTTAWA - The federal Conservatives have quietly killed a giant > information registry that was used by lawyers, academics, journalists > and ordinary citizens to hold government accountable.
> The registry, created in 1989, is an electronic list of every request > filed to all federal departments and agencies under the Access to > Information Act.
> Known as CAIRS, for Co-ordination of Access to Information Requests > System, the database allowed ordinary citizens to identify millions of > pages of once-secret documents that became public through individual > freedom-of-information requests over many years.
> But in a notice last week to civil servants on the Treasury Board > website, officials posted an innocuous obituary: effective April 1, > 2008, "the requirement to update CAIRS is no longer in effect."
> A spokesman for Treasury Board confirmed Friday that the system is being > killed because "extensive" consultations showed it was not valued by > government departments.
> The consultations concluded "the valuable resources currently being used > to maintain CAIRS would be better used in the collection and analysis of > improved statistical reporting," said Robert Makichuk.
> Public Works, which has operated the database, spent $166,000 improving > it in 2001. As recently as 2003 federal officials had been working on a > publicly accessible, online version.
> Monthly paper lists have also been made available since the 1990s for > public consultation at a central federal office in Ottawa.
> In the meantime, a Canadian academic put the database on his website and > opened it to public use, allowing citizens to quickly search thousands > of requests for key words.
> Alasdair Roberts, a political scientist at Syracuse University in New > York, built a version of the database by requesting the CAIRS electronic > records through an Access to Information Act request, and updated the > site monthly.
> CBC journalist David McKie took over the work in 2006 using another > publicly accessible website (http://www.onlinedemocracy.ca).
> Users searching key words cannot access the documents themselves, only > the wording of the original access-to-information request, the date, the > department, a file number, and general information about the requester, > whether media, business, academic or other.
> But by citing that file number, a citizen can approach the appropriate > department and request copies of the already released documents.
> CAIRS was originally designed as an internal government tool to manage > the flow of often embarrassing information. Particularly sensitive > requests from news media or opposition politicians would often be > red-flagged for special handling that frequently delayed release.
> But requesters soon began to mine the database to discover obscure > documents, fine-tune the phrasing on new requests, and even to do > statistical studies - effectively turning the tool against government.
> If departments and agencies are no longer required to update the CAIRS > database with new requests, its value as an accountability tool will > quickly diminish, critics said.
> "This is terrible and I consider this to be yet one more step in making > records less accessible," said Michel Drapeau, a lawyer, frequent user > and co-author of a standard reference work on access law.
> "To do this now after the CAIRS' usefulness has been proven over and > over again is indicative of the extent to which government will go to > stifle the access regime."
> New Democrat MP Dawn Black, whose office uses the database regularly, > condemned the Tories for shutting down the system.
> "It's another example of the Harper government's talk about > accountability and transparency - they talk the talk, but they don't > walk the walk."
> The Conservative government has a mixed record in the area of freedom of > information. The Federal Accountability Act broadened the access > legislation to cover new entities, such as the CBC, Via Rail, Canada > Post and even the Office of the Information Commissioner of Canada, > who's the ombudsman for the system.
> At the same time, long delays for responses, along with heavy censorship > of documents, have become endemic.
> The number of complaints received by the information commissioner in > 2007-2008, for example, soared to 2,387 - more than 1,000 higher than > the previous year. The level is the second-highest on record, next to > the 2,821 received in 1988 - 2,242 of those from a single complainant.
Looks like CAIRS was an ancient system that really does not work that well. Further, several Federal Government Departments never used the system. Therefore, the system is really ineffective. Any system designed in the 80's then patched is pretty in efficient.
> OTTAWA - The federal Conservatives have quietly killed a giant > information registry that was used by lawyers, academics, journalists > and ordinary citizens to hold government accountable.
> The registry, created in 1989, is an electronic list of every request > filed to all federal departments and agencies under the Access to > Information Act.
> Known as CAIRS, for Co-ordination of Access to Information Requests > System, the database allowed ordinary citizens to identify millions of > pages of once-secret documents that became public through individual > freedom-of-information requests over many years.
> But in a notice last week to civil servants on the Treasury Board > website, officials posted an innocuous obituary: effective April 1, > 2008, "the requirement to update CAIRS is no longer in effect."
> A spokesman for Treasury Board confirmed Friday that the system is being > killed because "extensive" consultations showed it was not valued by > government departments.
> The consultations concluded "the valuable resources currently being used > to maintain CAIRS would be better used in the collection and analysis of > improved statistical reporting," said Robert Makichuk.
> Public Works, which has operated the database, spent $166,000 improving > it in 2001. As recently as 2003 federal officials had been working on a > publicly accessible, online version.
> Monthly paper lists have also been made available since the 1990s for > public consultation at a central federal office in Ottawa.
> In the meantime, a Canadian academic put the database on his website and > opened it to public use, allowing citizens to quickly search thousands > of requests for key words.
> Alasdair Roberts, a political scientist at Syracuse University in New > York, built a version of the database by requesting the CAIRS electronic > records through an Access to Information Act request, and updated the > site monthly.
> CBC journalist David McKie took over the work in 2006 using another > publicly accessible website (http://www.onlinedemocracy.ca).
> Users searching key words cannot access the documents themselves, only > the wording of the original access-to-information request, the date, the > department, a file number, and general information about the requester, > whether media, business, academic or other.
> But by citing that file number, a citizen can approach the appropriate > department and request copies of the already released documents.
> CAIRS was originally designed as an internal government tool to manage > the flow of often embarrassing information. Particularly sensitive > requests from news media or opposition politicians would often be > red-flagged for special handling that frequently delayed release.
> But requesters soon began to mine the database to discover obscure > documents, fine-tune the phrasing on new requests, and even to do > statistical studies - effectively turning the tool against government.
> If departments and agencies are no longer required to update the CAIRS > database with new requests, its value as an accountability tool will > quickly diminish, critics said.
> "This is terrible and I consider this to be yet one more step in making > records less accessible," said Michel Drapeau, a lawyer, frequent user > and co-author of a standard reference work on access law.
> "To do this now after the CAIRS' usefulness has been proven over and > over again is indicative of the extent to which government will go to > stifle the access regime."
> New Democrat MP Dawn Black, whose office uses the database regularly, > condemned the Tories for shutting down the system.
> "It's another example of the Harper government's talk about > accountability and transparency - they talk the talk, but they don't > walk the walk."
> The Conservative government has a mixed record in the area of freedom of > information. The Federal Accountability Act broadened the access > legislation to cover new entities, such as the CBC, Via Rail, Canada > Post and even the Office of the Information Commissioner of Canada, > who's the ombudsman for the system.
> At the same time, long delays for responses, along with heavy censorship > of documents, have become endemic.
> The number of complaints received by the information commissioner in > 2007-2008, for example, soared to 2,387 - more than 1,000 higher than > the previous year. The level is the second-highest on record, next to > the 2,821 received in 1988 - 2,242 of those from a single complainant.
It is pretty obvious that the liberal media and left-wingers are most unhappy about the election of an honest government - and are abusing every method they can use in an attempt to embarass the government - even for things done under the LIEberals!!
> On May 2, 9:53 pm, "Hatem" <n...@none.com> wrote:
> > By Dean Beeby, The Canadian Press
> > OTTAWA - The federal Conservatives have quietly killed a giant > > information registry that was used by lawyers, academics, journalists > > and ordinary citizens to hold government accountable.
> > The registry, created in 1989, is an electronic list of every request > > filed to all federal departments and agencies under the Access to > > Information Act.
> > Known as CAIRS, for Co-ordination of Access to Information Requests > > System, the database allowed ordinary citizens to identify millions of > > pages of once-secret documents that became public through individual > > freedom-of-information requests over many years.
> > But in a notice last week to civil servants on the Treasury Board > > website, officials posted an innocuous obituary: effective April 1, > > 2008, "the requirement to update CAIRS is no longer in effect."
> > A spokesman for Treasury Board confirmed Friday that the system is being > > killed because "extensive" consultations showed it was not valued by > > government departments.
> > The consultations concluded "the valuable resources currently being used > > to maintain CAIRS would be better used in the collection and analysis of > > improved statistical reporting," said Robert Makichuk.
> > Public Works, which has operated the database, spent $166,000 improving > > it in 2001. As recently as 2003 federal officials had been working on a > > publicly accessible, online version.
> > Monthly paper lists have also been made available since the 1990s for > > public consultation at a central federal office in Ottawa.
> > In the meantime, a Canadian academic put the database on his website and > > opened it to public use, allowing citizens to quickly search thousands > > of requests for key words.
> > Alasdair Roberts, a political scientist at Syracuse University in New > > York, built a version of the database by requesting the CAIRS electronic > > records through an Access to Information Act request, and updated the > > site monthly.
> > CBC journalist David McKie took over the work in 2006 using another > > publicly accessible website (http://www.onlinedemocracy.ca).
> > Users searching key words cannot access the documents themselves, only > > the wording of the original access-to-information request, the date, the > > department, a file number, and general information about the requester, > > whether media, business, academic or other.
> > But by citing that file number, a citizen can approach the appropriate > > department and request copies of the already released documents.
> > CAIRS was originally designed as an internal government tool to manage > > the flow of often embarrassing information. Particularly sensitive > > requests from news media or opposition politicians would often be > > red-flagged for special handling that frequently delayed release.
> > But requesters soon began to mine the database to discover obscure > > documents, fine-tune the phrasing on new requests, and even to do > > statistical studies - effectively turning the tool against government.
> > If departments and agencies are no longer required to update the CAIRS > > database with new requests, its value as an accountability tool will > > quickly diminish, critics said.
> > "This is terrible and I consider this to be yet one more step in making > > records less accessible," said Michel Drapeau, a lawyer, frequent user > > and co-author of a standard reference work on access law.
> > "To do this now after the CAIRS' usefulness has been proven over and > > over again is indicative of the extent to which government will go to > > stifle the access regime."
> > New Democrat MP Dawn Black, whose office uses the database regularly, > > condemned the Tories for shutting down the system.
> > "It's another example of the Harper government's talk about > > accountability and transparency - they talk the talk, but they don't > > walk the walk."
> > The Conservative government has a mixed record in the area of freedom of > > information. The Federal Accountability Act broadened the access > > legislation to cover new entities, such as the CBC, Via Rail, Canada > > Post and even the Office of the Information Commissioner of Canada, > > who's the ombudsman for the system.
> > At the same time, long delays for responses, along with heavy censorship > > of documents, have become endemic.
> > The number of complaints received by the information commissioner in > > 2007-2008, for example, soared to 2,387 - more than 1,000 higher than > > the previous year. The level is the second-highest on record, next to > > the 2,821 received in 1988 - 2,242 of those from a single complainant.
> It is pretty obvious that the liberal media and left-wingers are most > unhappy about the election of an honest government - and are abusing > every method they can use in an attempt to embarass the government - > even for things done under the LIEberals!!- Hide quoted text -
> On May 3, 7:17 am, jimjames5417 <jameswri...@usa.net> wrote:
> > On May 2, 9:53 pm, "Hatem" <n...@none.com> wrote:
> > > By Dean Beeby, The Canadian Press
> > > OTTAWA - The federal Conservatives have quietly killed a giant > > > information registry that was used by lawyers, academics, journalists > > > and ordinary citizens to hold government accountable.
> > > The registry, created in 1989, is an electronic list of every request > > > filed to all federal departments and agencies under the Access to > > > Information Act.
> > > Known as CAIRS, for Co-ordination of Access to Information Requests > > > System, the database allowed ordinary citizens to identify millions of > > > pages of once-secret documents that became public through individual > > > freedom-of-information requests over many years.
> > > But in a notice last week to civil servants on the Treasury Board > > > website, officials posted an innocuous obituary: effective April 1, > > > 2008, "the requirement to update CAIRS is no longer in effect."
> > > A spokesman for Treasury Board confirmed Friday that the system is being > > > killed because "extensive" consultations showed it was not valued by > > > government departments.
> > > The consultations concluded "the valuable resources currently being used > > > to maintain CAIRS would be better used in the collection and analysis of > > > improved statistical reporting," said Robert Makichuk.
> > > Public Works, which has operated the database, spent $166,000 improving > > > it in 2001. As recently as 2003 federal officials had been working on a > > > publicly accessible, online version.
> > > Monthly paper lists have also been made available since the 1990s for > > > public consultation at a central federal office in Ottawa.
> > > In the meantime, a Canadian academic put the database on his website and > > > opened it to public use, allowing citizens to quickly search thousands > > > of requests for key words.
> > > Alasdair Roberts, a political scientist at Syracuse University in New > > > York, built a version of the database by requesting the CAIRS electronic > > > records through an Access to Information Act request, and updated the > > > site monthly.
> > > CBC journalist David McKie took over the work in 2006 using another > > > publicly accessible website (http://www.onlinedemocracy.ca).
> > > Users searching key words cannot access the documents themselves, only > > > the wording of the original access-to-information request, the date, the > > > department, a file number, and general information about the requester, > > > whether media, business, academic or other.
> > > But by citing that file number, a citizen can approach the appropriate > > > department and request copies of the already released documents.
> > > CAIRS was originally designed as an internal government tool to manage > > > the flow of often embarrassing information. Particularly sensitive > > > requests from news media or opposition politicians would often be > > > red-flagged for special handling that frequently delayed release.
> > > But requesters soon began to mine the database to discover obscure > > > documents, fine-tune the phrasing on new requests, and even to do > > > statistical studies - effectively turning the tool against government.
> > > If departments and agencies are no longer required to update the CAIRS > > > database with new requests, its value as an accountability tool will > > > quickly diminish, critics said.
> > > "This is terrible and I consider this to be yet one more step in making > > > records less accessible," said Michel Drapeau, a lawyer, frequent user > > > and co-author of a standard reference work on access law.
> > > "To do this now after the CAIRS' usefulness has been proven over and > > > over again is indicative of the extent to which government will go to > > > stifle the access regime."
> > > New Democrat MP Dawn Black, whose office uses the database regularly, > > > condemned the Tories for shutting down the system.
> > > "It's another example of the Harper government's talk about > > > accountability and transparency - they talk the talk, but they don't > > > walk the walk."
> > > The Conservative government has a mixed record in the area of freedom of > > > information. The Federal Accountability Act broadened the access > > > legislation to cover new entities, such as the CBC, Via Rail, Canada > > > Post and even the Office of the Information Commissioner of Canada, > > > who's the ombudsman for the system.
> > > At the same time, long delays for responses, along with heavy censorship > > > of documents, have become endemic.
> > > The number of complaints received by the information commissioner in > > > 2007-2008, for example, soared to 2,387 - more than 1,000 higher than > > > the previous year. The level is the second-highest on record, next to > > > the 2,821 received in 1988 - 2,242 of those from a single complainant.
> > It is pretty obvious that the liberal media and left-wingers are most > > unhappy about the election of an honest government - and are abusing > > every method they can use in an attempt to embarass the government - > > even for things done under the LIEberals!!- Hide quoted text -
> > - Show quoted text -
> - > Heil Harper. > -- Hide quoted text -
> - Show quoted text -
Harper is doing a great job, despite having one arm tied behind his back. I'm looking forward to watching him perform after we give him a majority next election.
> Harper is doing a great job, despite having one arm tied behind his > back. I'm looking forward to watching him perform after we give him a > majority next election.
> > Harper is doing a great job, despite having one arm tied behind his > > back. I'm looking forward to watching him perform after we give him a > > majority next election.
> Don't hold your breath.
I'm not holding my breath Chom. I'm a realist and in being so, I realize Canada has way more takers than givers, and takers tend to vote Liberal, NDP and Green. On the other hand, the latest issue of McCleans magazine claims the under 40 crowd is swinging Harper's way. Perhaps there is hope for Canada's future after all, eh?
On Sat, 03 May 2008 00:53:44 GMT, "Hatem" <n...@none.com> wrote: >By Dean Beeby, The Canadian Press
>OTTAWA - The federal Conservatives have quietly killed a giant >information registry that was used by lawyers, academics, journalists >and ordinary citizens to hold government accountable.
>The registry, created in 1989, is an electronic list of every request >filed to all federal departments and agencies under the Access to >Information Act.
>Known as CAIRS, for Co-ordination of Access to Information Requests >System, the database allowed ordinary citizens to identify millions of >pages of once-secret documents that became public through individual >freedom-of-information requests over many years.
>But in a notice last week to civil servants on the Treasury Board >website, officials posted an innocuous obituary: effective April 1, >2008, "the requirement to update CAIRS is no longer in effect."
>A spokesman for Treasury Board confirmed Friday that the system is being >killed because "extensive" consultations showed it was not valued by >government departments.
No kidding. They want to keep their mistakes and stupidity secret.
>The consultations concluded "the valuable resources currently being used >to maintain CAIRS would be better used in the collection and analysis of >improved statistical reporting," said Robert Makichuk.
I disagree.
>Public Works, which has operated the database, spent $166,000 improving >it in 2001. As recently as 2003 federal officials had been working on a >publicly accessible, online version.
This is what they should continue to do so.
>Monthly paper lists have also been made available since the 1990s for >public consultation at a central federal office in Ottawa.
That is nice but it isn't the same as a good website.
>In the meantime, a Canadian academic put the database on his website and >opened it to public use, allowing citizens to quickly search thousands >of requests for key words.
>Alasdair Roberts, a political scientist at Syracuse University in New >York, built a version of the database by requesting the CAIRS electronic >records through an Access to Information Act request, and updated the >site monthly.
>CBC journalist David McKie took over the work in 2006 using another >publicly accessible website (http://www.onlinedemocracy.ca).
>Users searching key words cannot access the documents themselves, only >the wording of the original access-to-information request, the date, the >department, a file number, and general information about the requester, >whether media, business, academic or other.
>But by citing that file number, a citizen can approach the appropriate >department and request copies of the already released documents.
>CAIRS was originally designed as an internal government tool to manage >the flow of often embarrassing information. Particularly sensitive >requests from news media or opposition politicians would often be >red-flagged for special handling that frequently delayed release.
>But requesters soon began to mine the database to discover obscure >documents, fine-tune the phrasing on new requests, and even to do >statistical studies - effectively turning the tool against government.
How horrible.
>If departments and agencies are no longer required to update the CAIRS >database with new requests, its value as an accountability tool will >quickly diminish, critics said.
>"This is terrible and I consider this to be yet one more step in making >records less accessible," said Michel Drapeau, a lawyer, frequent user >and co-author of a standard reference work on access law.
He is correct.
>"To do this now after the CAIRS' usefulness has been proven over and >over again is indicative of the extent to which government will go to >stifle the access regime."
>New Democrat MP Dawn Black, whose office uses the database regularly, >condemned the Tories for shutting down the system.
>"It's another example of the Harper government's talk about >accountability and transparency - they talk the talk, but they don't >walk the walk."
>The Conservative government has a mixed record in the area of freedom of >information. The Federal Accountability Act broadened the access >legislation to cover new entities, such as the CBC, Via Rail, Canada >Post and even the Office of the Information Commissioner of Canada, >who's the ombudsman for the system.
>At the same time, long delays for responses, along with heavy censorship >of documents, have become endemic.
>The number of complaints received by the information commissioner in >2007-2008, for example, soared to 2,387 - more than 1,000 higher than >the previous year. The level is the second-highest on record, next to >the 2,821 received in 1988 - 2,242 of those from a single complainant.
The govt should apologize and reverse their decision.
We are awaiting the return of our JHVH in the flesh or his Son. His Son Yu'shua died on the cross for our sins, was resurrected and walked the earth for awhile then ascended unto Heaven. We await the Third Coming not the Second.
Scottish Quaker Robert Barclay-"The weighty Truths of God were neglected, and, as it were, went into Desuetude. ...
Who will be the last Coalition soldier to be maimed in Iraq?
Good luck to anyone trying to learn Hebrew. I am looking for a Hebrew-Gregorian calendar in both Hebrew and English lettering.
I am looking for my missing automobile. Left in the care of Low's Tire (Firestone) on King George Hwy which has since gone out of business. A man who claimed to be a tow truck driver named Jerry (sounded Black) called me and said he had it but when I called him back he denied it. JVD-968 "89 Plymouth Reliant white with red interior. Devellis in lettering on the rear trunk. Contact me by email or the GRC if you are one of those ppl. Am looking for the address of Dave Reynolds and any info about him. He used to run Low's Tires and since he refuses to answer his email lowst...@telus.net I can only assume he is the person who stole my vehicle and the contents in it. I have talked to the new owners and they claim to know nothing. 3P3BK41D9KT921716 is the vin number. John Reynolds still has a valid email lowst...@telus.net but refuses to return my inquiries.Any info about this thief is appreciated.
I am also looking for various books and CD's that I have discovered missing. All are marked Greg Carr on the inside cover or somewhere in the CD booklet. $5 reward for each CD and for each book. Will pay $200 for info regarding how they disappeared because I honestly don't know.
