Podcasts

Videos are generated by the Office of the Information Commissioner of Canada and are posted in the language of the original speaker.

2010

Conference for Parliamentarians: Balancing Openness and the Public Interest in Protecting Information

September 28, 2010

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Push or Pull: Liberating Government Information

September 29, 2010

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Making the Case for Open Government

September 29, 2010

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Accessing Democracy: Mediated Access: Journalists’ Perspectives on the Uses and Abuses of Access Regimes

September 30, 2010

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Accessing Democracy: From Principle to Practice: Enhancing Access in the Public Service

September 30, 2010

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Accessing Democracy: Accessing Research: Accessing Government Information in the Research Process (co-sponsored by the Canadian Journal of Law and Society)

September 30, 2010

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News conference: Special report to parliament
2008-2009 report cards: Systemic issues affecting access to information in Canada

April 13th, 2010 - The Interim Information Commissioner of Canada, Ms Suzanne Legault, tables her Special Report entitled Out of Time: Report Cards 2008-2009 and Systemic Issues Affecting Access to Information in Canada to Parliament.

*Watch podcast 

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2009

 
National Town Hall: Citizens’ Engagement and State Accountability

On September 28th, at la Nouvelle Scène in Ottawa, the National Town Hall examined Citizens' Engagement and State Accountability. A range of distinguished panelists shared their experience and thoughts on various topics related to the right to know, including: the role of media as catalysts, as illustrated in the Maher Arar case, and more recently, the listeriosis crisis; the right of citizens to hold Parliament accountable, with a special reference to the UK experience; security concerns or international relations considerations vs. fundamental democratic rights in times of conflicts; and access to information in the digital age.

Among the panelists were David Akin (National Affairs correspondent for Canwest News Service), Jennifer Bell (Executive Director, VisibleGovernment.ca), Ben Leapman (Sunday Telegraph, UK), David McKie (CBC investigative journalist), Kerry Pither (Human rights and civil liberties advocate) and Jeff Sallot (Carleton University journalism instructor). This event was facilitated by CBC News at Six (Ottawa) host, Lucy van Oldenbarneveld and also included opening remarks by Interim Commissioner Suzanne Legault (Office of the Information Commissioner of Canada).

*Watch podcast as filmed by the Cable Public Affairs Channel (CPAC)

*Watch podcast as filmed by Max Digital (includes language option, slides and index) 

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Conference for Parliamentarians: Transparency in the Digital Era

On September 29th, in Ottawa, this conference engaged Parliamentarians in a debate and reflection on the new paradigm that the digital world has introduced for the right to know.

This conference featured Dr. Daniel Caron (Librarian and Archivist of Canada), David Eaves (Expert in public policy and open source and network systems), Suzanne Legault (Interim Commissioner, Office of the Information Commissioner of Canada), Stanley Tromp (FOI caucus coordinator of the Canadian Association of Journalists, author), and Dave Wallace (Chief Information Officer, City of Toronto).  This conference was hosted and facilitated by the Honourable Senator Francis Fox (Senator, former Cabinet minister responsible for the enactment of Canada's first access to information legislation).

*Watch podcast as filmed by the Canada School of Public Service as part of their Armchair Discussions series 

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Legal Panel:  Democracy, the Right to Information and the Role of Legislation

On September 30th, at the University of Ottawa, this panel discussed the connections and interplay between democracy, the right to information and the role of legislation, particularly in a fast evolving and increasingly complex environment.

Among the legal experts and scholars were Amir Attaran (University of Ottawa Law Professor), Jim Bronskill (Reporter, Canadian Press), retired col. Michel W. Drapeau (Counsel, Adjunct Professor at the Faculty of Law, University of Ottawa), David Fraser (Chairman of the Canadian Bar Association's Privacy and Access Law Section, Halifax), Denis Kratchanov (General Counsel / Director, Information Law and Privacy Section, Justice Canada), David Stratas (Litigation Partner, Heenan Blaikie LLP, Toronto), Paul Szabo (Liberal MP and Chair of the Access to Information, Privacy and Ethics Standing Committee) and Diane Therrien (Counsel, Office of the Information Commissioner of Canada).  This event was facilitated by Vincent Kazmierski (Assistant Professor and Undergraduate Supervisor of Carleton University's Department of Law, author).

*Watch podcast as filmed by the Cable Public Affairs Channel (CPAC)

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International Panel: ‘ATI without Frontiers:’ International Perspectives on Access to Information

On October 1st, at the University of Ottawa, this panel assessed freedom of information globally and examined current initiatives and obstacles to promoting greater access to official information held by national and international institutions. 

This event featured Toby Mendel (Senior Legal Counsel and Law Programme Director at ARTICLE 19), Laura Neuman (Manager, Access to Information Project, and Associate Director of the Americas Program, Carter Center), Michèle Stanton-Jean (President of the Canadian Commission for UNESCO), Stanley Tromp (FOI caucus coordinator of the Canadian Association of Journalists, author), and Josée Villeneuve (Director of Systemic Issues, Parliamentary Relations, Officer of the Information Commissioner of Canada).  This event was facilitated by Priscilla Platt (Partner with Heenan Blaikie LLP Toronto, specializing in privacy and access to information law). 

*Watch podcast as filmed by the Cable Public Affairs Channel (CPAC)

*Watch podcast as filmed by Max Digital (includes language option, slides and index)