Addressing Canada’s Access to Information Act’s Midlife Crisis

The right to information, although central to today’s societies, is both currently undervalued and underperforming. The main reason for this is that changes in the informational landscape and in the role of the State in our societies has impacted on both the meaning of information, and the contours and extent of the right to information. These changes, however, have not been taken into account by most national freedom of information regimes and even less so by applicable international human rights standards.
This proposal seeks to assess these changes in the specific context of Canada. The research will analyse the main challenges identified by users, practicioners and scholars in relation to the now 40-year old Canadian Access to Information Act and its applicability and effectiveness in our current digital setting.
It will then systematize ongoing discussions and proposals concerning the review of the Act and contrast them with the new conceptual and policy frameworks for the right to information proposed by the intern/fellow in their doctorate thesis – a recalibration of the right to information requires addressing five key limitations of the current interpretation of the right to information in international law:
• A limited definition of public information;
• A focus on passive transparency;

Faculty Supervisor:

Nandini Ramanujam

Student:

Partner:

Centre for International Governance Innovation

Discipline:

Sociology

Sector:

Education; Professional, scientific and technical services

University:

McGill University

Program: