The Alberta government of Premier Danielle Smith breached the provincial Freedom of Information Act, says a provincial watchdog in response to 34 complaints filed by me. The finding was also in response to some articles published by a national newspaper — the Globe — following my own complaints. - ThreadSky

mikedesouza.bsky.social • 21 days ago

The Alberta government of Premier Danielle Smith breached the provincial Freedom of Information Act, says a provincial watchdog in response to 34 complaints filed by me. The finding was also in response to some articles published by a national newspaper — the Globe — following my own complaints.

Comments

investigativerc.bsky.social•20 days ago

it's Orwellian how FOI is used for the exact opposite. no information and certainly not free. to the streets!

mikedesouza.bsky.social•21 days ago

Here is a full link to the OIPC news release:

https://oipc.ab.ca/information-and-privacy-commissioner-finds-government-of-alberta-non-compliant-in-processing-access-to-information-requests-under-the-foip-act/

mikedesouza.bsky.social•21 days ago

Here is a link to the full 52-page report:

https://oipc.ab.ca/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/F2025-IR-01.pdf

mikedesouza.bsky.social•21 days ago

According to the report, the Globe filed its own complaint in September, five months after my own complaints — also after the commissioner launched the investigation.

mikedesouza.bsky.social•21 days ago

In my case, my complaints were related to multiple government ministries that refused to respond to my requests for records related to meetings with lobbyists from the Canadian Association of Petroleum Producers and the Pathways Alliance of oilsands companies.

mikedesouza.bsky.social•21 days ago

This was all in 2023. The investigation took two years to complete.

mikedesouza.bsky.social•21 days ago

In the commissioner’s report, she writes the following:

“Access to information rights are the foundation of an individual’s ability to exercise their democratic rights by facilitating access to government information.”

mikedesouza.bsky.social•21 days ago

Also interesting to note that the commissioner says in her report that she believes the violations also apply to the newly amended version of Alberta’s FOIP legislation.