Anyone that has raised children at some point has run into the “hand in the cookie jar” situation. What I’m referring to is the scenario that a lot of young children get caught in. It’s comical when you ask the child, “What’s that in your hand?” and they reply, “Nothing!” as they quickly hide their hand behind their back. It’s comical when a five year old does it; it’s not so comical when government puts their ands behind their back and says the same thing.
For the parent, the solution is easy, expose the truth and explain why this behaviour is not acceptable. For government, on the other hand, the solution is exposure and consequences determined by the taxpayers during an election.
As a taxpayer you elect your representation (Councillor, MLA, MP) to be the parent that makes sure the child (the government) is held accountable for their actions. The tool that your representative has been given to be that parent, is the Freedom of Information legislation, or FOIP.
FOIP legislation has been adopted by more than 50 free nations and free societies all over the world. These laws provide the press, taxpayers, and where applicable, opposition parties, with access to information about the performance, cost, and operation of government.
On Monday, May 5, Wildrose Opposition MLA Drew Barnes from Cypress Medicine Hat will present a Private Member’s Bill, Bill 204 the Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy (MLA Public Interest Fee Waiver) Amendment Act. The Act is meant to allow your duly elected MLA to have the fees associated with FOIP waived (maximum 4 times in a calendar year). This will assist in giving reasonable and unimpeded access to the information taxpayers should always have access to.
FOIP is an extremely bright flashlight that illuminates the darkest recesses of the back rooms of the legislature, where it seems, a great many deals have been struck. With rare exception, public business should be done in full view of the public, in the light of day, without hands behind the back.
An example of the government keeping their hands behind their back and away from the light are illustrated by the passage of Bill 50 The Electric Statutes Amendment Act, passed in 2009, that allowed the government to evaluate the over-budget, unneeded 500kv power lines to be approved in a closed door cabinet meeting, away from public light. When asked what they had behind their backs, to the horror of consumers, what they were hiding were significant increases in the power bills that we are now paying, to cover these unnecessary projects.
Without the ability to hold your government to account, you will be walking into the future backwards, trying to figure out where things went wrong, and how to fix them.
FOIP is a proactive way to enable the taxpayers of Alberta to walk into the future facing forward with a sustainable plan.
For more information on Bill 204 please contact my office. Rick Strankman MLA, Drumheller Stettler Email: drumheller.stettler@assembly.ab.ca. Twitter: @RickStrankman. Website: www.Rick-Strankman.ca
FROM THE LEGISLATURE