National > Access to Information:What is the purpose of access to information laws? Why are they important?The purpose of access to information laws is to help provide access to information concerning government activities. These laws are important to support the health of Canada's democracy. One of the most fundamental democratic principles is that governmental officials are accountable for their actions to the citizens of the country. As citizens, we cannot hold our elected officials accountable without free access to information concerning government activities. In a real sense, governments do not "own" their information. They are like trustees, collecting and storing information on behalf of the citizens of their country. It is important to affirm the principle that Canadians have a right to access "their" information. That is why access laws state that government information should be available to the public, and that any necessary exemptions to that right of access should be specific and limited. Similarly, with regard to other public bodies, organizations with commercial interests (businesses, for example), and health organizations, citizens may need to know why information about them is being collected, what information relating to them is kept, what it is being used for, and how it is retained and released. The federal and provincial governments have determined that Canadians have the right to know about such information and to varying degrees have enacted laws that enable citizens to find out.
June 2006 |
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