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Ken Rubin

Ken Rubin is an Ottawa-based investigative researcher and is reachable at kenrubin.ca.

Documents reveal more about powerful forces behind push for warrantless lawful access

  • The pressure for lawful warrantless access to surveil internet subscriber data is long-standing and began in the late 1990s. But recently acquired access-to-information documents
Opinion | BY KEN RUBIN | February 12, 2026
Public Safety Minister Gary Anandasangaree removed some provisions under the Strong Borders Act, Bill C-2, after the bill was criticized by civil society groups over its proposed warrantless lawful access provisions, writes Ken Rubin. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

Documents reveal more about powerful forces behind push for warrantless lawful access

Opinion | BY KEN RUBIN | February 12, 2026
  • The pressure for lawful warrantless access to surveil internet subscriber data is long-standing and began in the late 1990s. But recently acquired access-to-information documents

Documents reveal more about powerful forces behind push for warrantless lawful access

Opinion | BY KEN RUBIN | February 12, 2026
  • The pressure for lawful warrantless access to surveil internet subscriber data is long-standing and began in the late 1990s. But recently acquired access-to-information documents
Public Safety Minister Gary Anandasangaree removed some provisions under the Strong Borders Act, Bill C-2, after the bill was criticized by civil society groups over its proposed warrantless lawful access provisions, writes Ken Rubin. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

Driving accountability when AI has its hand on the wheel

  • In a world of co-pilots and chat bots, this public interest researcher feels the growing impacts of artificial intelligence.
Opinion | BY KEN RUBIN | February 11, 2026
Official access-to-information systems are beginning to use tax-paid AI tools to help exempt even more data, refine sanitized talking points, and take control of the flow of information, writes Ken Rubin. Pexels photograph by Anete Lusina

Driving accountability when AI has its hand on the wheel

Opinion | BY KEN RUBIN | February 11, 2026
  • In a world of co-pilots and chat bots, this public interest researcher feels the growing impacts of artificial intelligence.

Driving accountability when AI has its hand on the wheel

Opinion | BY KEN RUBIN | February 11, 2026
  • In a world of co-pilots and chat bots, this public interest researcher feels the growing impacts of artificial intelligence.
Official access-to-information systems are beginning to use tax-paid AI tools to help exempt even more data, refine sanitized talking points, and take control of the flow of information, writes Ken Rubin. Pexels photograph by Anete Lusina

Federal environmental impact assessments are in even more jeopardy   

  • The federal environment assessment tool was always limited, with powerful enemies fighting back well before the Carney government wanted to curtail its usage.
Opinion | BY KEN RUBIN | January 12, 2026
Julie Dabrusin
Julie Dabrusin
Environment Minister Julie Dabrusin is responsible for the Impact Assessment Agency of Canada. To date, there have been more than 40 assessments of designated projects, with most taking years to do, writes Ken Rubin. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

Federal environmental impact assessments are in even more jeopardy   

Opinion | BY KEN RUBIN | January 12, 2026
  • The federal environment assessment tool was always limited, with powerful enemies fighting back well before the Carney government wanted to curtail its usage.

Federal environmental impact assessments are in even more jeopardy   

Opinion | BY KEN RUBIN | January 12, 2026
  • The federal environment assessment tool was always limited, with powerful enemies fighting back well before the Carney government wanted to curtail its usage.
Julie Dabrusin
Environment Minister Julie Dabrusin is responsible for the Impact Assessment Agency of Canada. To date, there have been more than 40 assessments of designated projects, with most taking years to do, writes Ken Rubin. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

Off to a bad start: Treasury Board already wants to make access to information worse

  • With Treasury Board once again handling the first stage of the ATI review, you can be sure of more delays, more exemptions proposed, and
Opinion | BY KEN RUBIN | January 8, 2026
Shafqat Ali
Shafqat Ali
Treasury Board President Shafqat Ali shouldn’t sign on to his officials’ disastrous draft discussion paper that would make for a more dysfunctional access-to-information system, writes Ken Rubin. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

Off to a bad start: Treasury Board already wants to make access to information worse

Opinion | BY KEN RUBIN | January 8, 2026
  • With Treasury Board once again handling the first stage of the ATI review, you can be sure of more delays, more exemptions proposed, and

Off to a bad start: Treasury Board already wants to make access to information worse

Opinion | BY KEN RUBIN | January 8, 2026
  • With Treasury Board once again handling the first stage of the ATI review, you can be sure of more delays, more exemptions proposed, and
Shafqat Ali
Treasury Board President Shafqat Ali shouldn’t sign on to his officials’ disastrous draft discussion paper that would make for a more dysfunctional access-to-information system, writes Ken Rubin. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

Government agencies are hardly trying when it comes to transparency

  • We have a very tenuous and shaky situation with increasing setbacks in disclosures, and more creative avoidance, delays, and denials.
Opinion | BY KEN RUBIN | December 9, 2025
Instead of a push towards more readily available information, governments are finding new ways to frustrate the access-to-information process, writes Ken Rubin. Unsplash photograph by Matt Flores

Government agencies are hardly trying when it comes to transparency

Opinion | BY KEN RUBIN | December 9, 2025
  • We have a very tenuous and shaky situation with increasing setbacks in disclosures, and more creative avoidance, delays, and denials.

Government agencies are hardly trying when it comes to transparency

Opinion | BY KEN RUBIN | December 9, 2025
  • We have a very tenuous and shaky situation with increasing setbacks in disclosures, and more creative avoidance, delays, and denials.
Instead of a push towards more readily available information, governments are finding new ways to frustrate the access-to-information process, writes Ken Rubin. Unsplash photograph by Matt Flores

Demystifying the detection of fraud and coerced victims

  • The public needs to know about incidents involving the fraudulent use of social benefits, and about how fraudsters forcefully exploit and draw others into
Opinion | BY KEN RUBIN | December 1, 2025
Employment and Social Development Canada is a partner in the Public Safety Canada-led effort to combat human trafficking and support survivors’ rehabilitation—and at times, forgiveness of debts—using taxpayer money, writes Ken Rubin. Photograph courtesy of Pexels

Demystifying the detection of fraud and coerced victims

Opinion | BY KEN RUBIN | December 1, 2025
  • The public needs to know about incidents involving the fraudulent use of social benefits, and about how fraudsters forcefully exploit and draw others into

Demystifying the detection of fraud and coerced victims

Opinion | BY KEN RUBIN | December 1, 2025
  • The public needs to know about incidents involving the fraudulent use of social benefits, and about how fraudsters forcefully exploit and draw others into
Employment and Social Development Canada is a partner in the Public Safety Canada-led effort to combat human trafficking and support survivors’ rehabilitation—and at times, forgiveness of debts—using taxpayer money, writes Ken Rubin. Photograph courtesy of Pexels

The critical-minerals battle is being fought on land—and over the sea

  • Internal documents give the impression Canada would gladly abandon its current support for a seabed-mining moratorium if some standards were in place.
Opinion | BY KEN RUBIN | November 12, 2025
Tim Hodgson
Tim Hodgson
Energy and Natural Resources Minister Tim Hodgson recently signed agreements with other G7 partners to invest in Canadian critical mineral ventures, writes Ken Rubin. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

The critical-minerals battle is being fought on land—and over the sea

Opinion | BY KEN RUBIN | November 12, 2025
  • Internal documents give the impression Canada would gladly abandon its current support for a seabed-mining moratorium if some standards were in place.

The critical-minerals battle is being fought on land—and over the sea

Opinion | BY KEN RUBIN | November 12, 2025
  • Internal documents give the impression Canada would gladly abandon its current support for a seabed-mining moratorium if some standards were in place.
Tim Hodgson
Energy and Natural Resources Minister Tim Hodgson recently signed agreements with other G7 partners to invest in Canadian critical mineral ventures, writes Ken Rubin. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

Wildlife can be full of surprises

  • The feds’ new national money laundering enforcement agency may not be able to confront the illegal wildlife trafficking in Canada.
Opinion | BY KEN RUBIN | October 29, 2025
François-Philippe Champagne
François-Philippe Champagne
Finance Minister François-Phillippe Champagne recently announced that a new Financial Crimes Agency will launch next year. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

Wildlife can be full of surprises

Opinion | BY KEN RUBIN | October 29, 2025
  • The feds’ new national money laundering enforcement agency may not be able to confront the illegal wildlife trafficking in Canada.

Wildlife can be full of surprises

Opinion | BY KEN RUBIN | October 29, 2025
  • The feds’ new national money laundering enforcement agency may not be able to confront the illegal wildlife trafficking in Canada.
François-Philippe Champagne
Finance Minister François-Phillippe Champagne recently announced that a new Financial Crimes Agency will launch next year. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

Will political expediency yield greater transparency?

  • Mark Carney may be looking for openings to the rigid firewalls and the access-to-information protective system his predecessors abided by—or he may just follow
Opinion | BY KEN RUBIN | September 24, 2025
Prime Minister Mark Carney arrives at West Block before Question Period on Sept. 15, 2025. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

Will political expediency yield greater transparency?

Opinion | BY KEN RUBIN | September 24, 2025
  • Mark Carney may be looking for openings to the rigid firewalls and the access-to-information protective system his predecessors abided by—or he may just follow

Will political expediency yield greater transparency?

Opinion | BY KEN RUBIN | September 24, 2025
  • Mark Carney may be looking for openings to the rigid firewalls and the access-to-information protective system his predecessors abided by—or he may just follow
Prime Minister Mark Carney arrives at West Block before Question Period on Sept. 15, 2025. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

On trend: hiding records detailing government discussions and operations from the public  

  • Revealing little is the new norm, bringing with it the same old mismanagement problems.
Opinion | BY KEN RUBIN | August 18, 2025
With public employee layoffs and program cuts looming in a fall federal budget, there is even less commitment and willingness to put on display what government is up to, writes Ken Rubin. Pexels photograph by Travis Saylor 

On trend: hiding records detailing government discussions and operations from the public  

Opinion | BY KEN RUBIN | August 18, 2025
  • Revealing little is the new norm, bringing with it the same old mismanagement problems.

On trend: hiding records detailing government discussions and operations from the public  

Opinion | BY KEN RUBIN | August 18, 2025
  • Revealing little is the new norm, bringing with it the same old mismanagement problems.
With public employee layoffs and program cuts looming in a fall federal budget, there is even less commitment and willingness to put on display what government is up to, writes Ken Rubin. Pexels photograph by Travis Saylor 

Where to begin: restarting a failed access-to-information system 

  • We need a better deal that actively puts transparency back more fully into the picture, and we can start by changing the decades-old, decrepit
Opinion | BY KEN RUBIN | July 21, 2025
Information Commissioner Caroline Maynard was among the panellists at a July 9 discussion who expressed a preference for an independent, credible review of access legislation, writes Ken Rubin. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

Where to begin: restarting a failed access-to-information system 

Opinion | BY KEN RUBIN | July 21, 2025
  • We need a better deal that actively puts transparency back more fully into the picture, and we can start by changing the decades-old, decrepit

Where to begin: restarting a failed access-to-information system 

Opinion | BY KEN RUBIN | July 21, 2025
  • We need a better deal that actively puts transparency back more fully into the picture, and we can start by changing the decades-old, decrepit
Information Commissioner Caroline Maynard was among the panellists at a July 9 discussion who expressed a preference for an independent, credible review of access legislation, writes Ken Rubin. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

Carney’s moment to step up on reforming the Access to Information Act

  • It's Prime Minister Mark Carney's time to show whether he will make serious changes to improve government transparency, or if he'll be the latest
Opinion | BY KEN RUBIN | June 18, 2025
Mark Carney
Mark Carney
Prime Minister Mark Carney's government will be responsible for a review of the Access to Information Act that by law must begin in June 2025. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

Carney’s moment to step up on reforming the Access to Information Act

Opinion | BY KEN RUBIN | June 18, 2025
  • It's Prime Minister Mark Carney's time to show whether he will make serious changes to improve government transparency, or if he'll be the latest

Carney’s moment to step up on reforming the Access to Information Act

Opinion | BY KEN RUBIN | June 18, 2025
  • It's Prime Minister Mark Carney's time to show whether he will make serious changes to improve government transparency, or if he'll be the latest
Mark Carney
Prime Minister Mark Carney's government will be responsible for a review of the Access to Information Act that by law must begin in June 2025. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

Carney is already short-changing transparency

  • The cabinet mandate letter sends a signal to expect even greater centralized control and messaging that is not conducive to the free flow of
Opinion | BY KEN RUBIN | May 28, 2025
Mark Carney
Mark Carney
Prime Minister Mark Carney said his ministers needed to ‘identify how specifically’ they could contribute to the seven general priorities and report back to him, but not the public, writes Ken Rubin. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

Carney is already short-changing transparency

Opinion | BY KEN RUBIN | May 28, 2025
  • The cabinet mandate letter sends a signal to expect even greater centralized control and messaging that is not conducive to the free flow of

Carney is already short-changing transparency

Opinion | BY KEN RUBIN | May 28, 2025
  • The cabinet mandate letter sends a signal to expect even greater centralized control and messaging that is not conducive to the free flow of
Mark Carney
Prime Minister Mark Carney said his ministers needed to ‘identify how specifically’ they could contribute to the seven general priorities and report back to him, but not the public, writes Ken Rubin. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

Memo to PM Carney: redo, don’t recycle, Canada’s secretive Access to Information  Act 

  • Either Canada finally makes a real commitment to timely and more full disclosures, or we sink into a much more autocratic information system.
Opinion | BY KEN RUBIN | May 7, 2025
Mark Carney
Mark Carney
Prime Minister Mark Carney needs to move the legislative review role for the Access to Information Act into the hands of a new parliamentary committee, writes Ken Rubin. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

Memo to PM Carney: redo, don’t recycle, Canada’s secretive Access to Information  Act 

Opinion | BY KEN RUBIN | May 7, 2025
  • Either Canada finally makes a real commitment to timely and more full disclosures, or we sink into a much more autocratic information system.

Memo to PM Carney: redo, don’t recycle, Canada’s secretive Access to Information  Act 

Opinion | BY KEN RUBIN | May 7, 2025
  • Either Canada finally makes a real commitment to timely and more full disclosures, or we sink into a much more autocratic information system.
Mark Carney
Prime Minister Mark Carney needs to move the legislative review role for the Access to Information Act into the hands of a new parliamentary committee, writes Ken Rubin. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

Digging up a hidden election issue: development and control of critical minerals

  • At issue is whether a part of our sovereignty is about to be given up with a lopsided ‘agreement’ that gives the U.S. access
Opinion | BY KEN RUBIN | April 22, 2025
Prime Minister Mark Carney, left, Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre, U.S. President Donald Trump, Elon Musk, and U.S. Vice-President JD Vance. Critical minerals will remain high on Trump’s chaotic negotiating agenda after the April 28 election. The Hill Times photographs by Andrew Meade, Sam Garcia, Flickr, Wikimedia Commons, and illustration by Joey Sabourin

Digging up a hidden election issue: development and control of critical minerals

Opinion | BY KEN RUBIN | April 22, 2025
  • At issue is whether a part of our sovereignty is about to be given up with a lopsided ‘agreement’ that gives the U.S. access

Digging up a hidden election issue: development and control of critical minerals

Opinion | BY KEN RUBIN | April 22, 2025
  • At issue is whether a part of our sovereignty is about to be given up with a lopsided ‘agreement’ that gives the U.S. access
Prime Minister Mark Carney, left, Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre, U.S. President Donald Trump, Elon Musk, and U.S. Vice-President JD Vance. Critical minerals will remain high on Trump’s chaotic negotiating agenda after the April 28 election. The Hill Times photographs by Andrew Meade, Sam Garcia, Flickr, Wikimedia Commons, and illustration by Joey Sabourin

A free, mobile, and caring Canada, you say?  

  • Our inaction on internal trade and information barriers, and climate-change strategies hinders our future survival and development.
Opinion | BY KEN RUBIN | March 17, 2025
Nova Scotia Premier Tim Houston’s Progressive Conservatives demonstrate that provincial governments want even more regressive amendments to their freedom of information acts, writes Ken Rubin. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

A free, mobile, and caring Canada, you say?  

Opinion | BY KEN RUBIN | March 17, 2025
  • Our inaction on internal trade and information barriers, and climate-change strategies hinders our future survival and development.

A free, mobile, and caring Canada, you say?  

Opinion | BY KEN RUBIN | March 17, 2025
  • Our inaction on internal trade and information barriers, and climate-change strategies hinders our future survival and development.
Nova Scotia Premier Tim Houston’s Progressive Conservatives demonstrate that provincial governments want even more regressive amendments to their freedom of information acts, writes Ken Rubin. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

Mexico and the U.S. play rough with public records and information regulators. What about Canada?

  • It is not just what is happening to erode transparency further south in the U.S. and Mexico that should be of concern here: it's
Opinion | BY KEN RUBIN | March 3, 2025
Information Commissioner Carolyn Maynard. Canada's review system has limited order powers, writes Ken Rubin. The Hill Times file photograph

Mexico and the U.S. play rough with public records and information regulators. What about Canada?

Opinion | BY KEN RUBIN | March 3, 2025
  • It is not just what is happening to erode transparency further south in the U.S. and Mexico that should be of concern here: it's

Mexico and the U.S. play rough with public records and information regulators. What about Canada?

Opinion | BY KEN RUBIN | March 3, 2025
  • It is not just what is happening to erode transparency further south in the U.S. and Mexico that should be of concern here: it's
Information Commissioner Carolyn Maynard. Canada's review system has limited order powers, writes Ken Rubin. The Hill Times file photograph

Ugly efforts at cutting off access-to-information requests

  • False claims about a lack of records, and painting requesters as vexatious mar the transparency regime.
Opinion | BY KEN RUBIN | February 3, 2025
The pursuit of federal records can be consequential, but can also lead to unexpected consequences, and questionable claims and repression. Unsplash photograph by FlyD 

Ugly efforts at cutting off access-to-information requests

Opinion | BY KEN RUBIN | February 3, 2025
  • False claims about a lack of records, and painting requesters as vexatious mar the transparency regime.

Ugly efforts at cutting off access-to-information requests

Opinion | BY KEN RUBIN | February 3, 2025
  • False claims about a lack of records, and painting requesters as vexatious mar the transparency regime.
The pursuit of federal records can be consequential, but can also lead to unexpected consequences, and questionable claims and repression. Unsplash photograph by FlyD 

Not so fast with your fixations and power levers, buddy

  •                                             OTTAWA—U.S. president-elect Donald Trump says he’s No. 1, and Canada is No. 51. But hold on, can we just give in without a
Opinion | BY KEN RUBIN | January 17, 2025
Donald Trump
Donald Trump
On the annexation front, even if U.S. president-elect Donald Trump keeps using this as a distraction to ridicule Canada's trade position, can we not just slow down that part of the baiting and bullying, asks Ken Rubin. Photographs courtesy of Wikimedia Commons

Not so fast with your fixations and power levers, buddy

Opinion | BY KEN RUBIN | January 17, 2025
  •                                             OTTAWA—U.S. president-elect Donald Trump says he’s No. 1, and Canada is No. 51. But hold on, can we just give in without a

Not so fast with your fixations and power levers, buddy

Opinion | BY KEN RUBIN | January 17, 2025
  •                                             OTTAWA—U.S. president-elect Donald Trump says he’s No. 1, and Canada is No. 51. But hold on, can we just give in without a
Donald Trump
On the annexation front, even if U.S. president-elect Donald Trump keeps using this as a distraction to ridicule Canada's trade position, can we not just slow down that part of the baiting and bullying, asks Ken Rubin. Photographs courtesy of Wikimedia Commons

Public Safety Canada’s dealing with natural and communication infrastructure disasters

  • For some years, the federal government has been paying multi-millions of dollars to AI firms for many projects with little transparency.
Opinion | BY KEN RUBIN | November 21, 2024
Public Safety Minister Dominic LeBlanc, pictured recently on the Hill. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

Public Safety Canada’s dealing with natural and communication infrastructure disasters

Opinion | BY KEN RUBIN | November 21, 2024
  • For some years, the federal government has been paying multi-millions of dollars to AI firms for many projects with little transparency.

Public Safety Canada’s dealing with natural and communication infrastructure disasters

Opinion | BY KEN RUBIN | November 21, 2024
  • For some years, the federal government has been paying multi-millions of dollars to AI firms for many projects with little transparency.
Public Safety Minister Dominic LeBlanc, pictured recently on the Hill. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

An election promise for a questionable consumer advocacy office is all but dead

  • Achieving greater marketplace compliance and consumer protection seems to be far from what is on the minds of most political and bureaucratic operatives these
Opinion | BY KEN RUBIN | October 30, 2024
François-Philippe Champagne
François-Philippe Champagne
Innovation Minister François-Philippe Champagne had his own ideas on how to proceed with the consumer file, writes Ken Rubin. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

An election promise for a questionable consumer advocacy office is all but dead

Opinion | BY KEN RUBIN | October 30, 2024
  • Achieving greater marketplace compliance and consumer protection seems to be far from what is on the minds of most political and bureaucratic operatives these

An election promise for a questionable consumer advocacy office is all but dead

Opinion | BY KEN RUBIN | October 30, 2024
  • Achieving greater marketplace compliance and consumer protection seems to be far from what is on the minds of most political and bureaucratic operatives these
François-Philippe Champagne
Innovation Minister François-Philippe Champagne had his own ideas on how to proceed with the consumer file, writes Ken Rubin. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

Standoff over records won’t change widespread document delays, denials, and discrepancies

  • Parliament is at a standstill over a set of records from a now-defunct agency, but has yet to go after the many instances where
Opinion | BY KEN RUBIN | October 17, 2024
While this record standoff in Parliament goes on, government stalling on the release of many documents requested by the public only grows, writes Ken Rubin. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

Standoff over records won’t change widespread document delays, denials, and discrepancies

Opinion | BY KEN RUBIN | October 17, 2024
  • Parliament is at a standstill over a set of records from a now-defunct agency, but has yet to go after the many instances where

Standoff over records won’t change widespread document delays, denials, and discrepancies

Opinion | BY KEN RUBIN | October 17, 2024
  • Parliament is at a standstill over a set of records from a now-defunct agency, but has yet to go after the many instances where
While this record standoff in Parliament goes on, government stalling on the release of many documents requested by the public only grows, writes Ken Rubin. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

What’s inside Ottawa stays inside—and there is no confidence that will change

  • This fall sitting of Parliament is going to be full of politicking, which doesn’t leave room to make efforts to fix Ottawa's secretive ways
Opinion | BY KEN RUBIN | September 30, 2024
Politicians busy pointing fingers at each other just do not seem to want to aspire to change the way insiders operate in Ottawa, writes Ken Rubin. Unsplash photograph by Kristina Flour

What’s inside Ottawa stays inside—and there is no confidence that will change

Opinion | BY KEN RUBIN | September 30, 2024
  • This fall sitting of Parliament is going to be full of politicking, which doesn’t leave room to make efforts to fix Ottawa's secretive ways

What’s inside Ottawa stays inside—and there is no confidence that will change

Opinion | BY KEN RUBIN | September 30, 2024
  • This fall sitting of Parliament is going to be full of politicking, which doesn’t leave room to make efforts to fix Ottawa's secretive ways
Politicians busy pointing fingers at each other just do not seem to want to aspire to change the way insiders operate in Ottawa, writes Ken Rubin. Unsplash photograph by Kristina Flour

MPs should be eyeing a bigger chopping block for interference issues 

  • On top of allegations of foreign government meddling, domestically, there is a growing pattern of interfering with, delaying, and repressing requests made under Canada's
Opinion | BY KEN RUBIN | June 24, 2024
While MPs are caught up with the issue of whether their colleagues or should be named for ‘wittingly’ collaborating with foreign powers, they should not overlook domestic interference in the public's knowledge about what government agencies are up to, writes Ken Rubin. Unsplash photograph by Agence Olloweb

MPs should be eyeing a bigger chopping block for interference issues 

Opinion | BY KEN RUBIN | June 24, 2024
  • On top of allegations of foreign government meddling, domestically, there is a growing pattern of interfering with, delaying, and repressing requests made under Canada's

MPs should be eyeing a bigger chopping block for interference issues 

Opinion | BY KEN RUBIN | June 24, 2024
  • On top of allegations of foreign government meddling, domestically, there is a growing pattern of interfering with, delaying, and repressing requests made under Canada's
While MPs are caught up with the issue of whether their colleagues or should be named for ‘wittingly’ collaborating with foreign powers, they should not overlook domestic interference in the public's knowledge about what government agencies are up to, writes Ken Rubin. Unsplash photograph by Agence Olloweb

CBSA: a troubled agency under the microscope

  • The government has not acted, despite CBSA becoming more of a failed agency that is too authoritative, too administratively weak, and too secretive.
Opinion | BY KEN RUBIN | May 22, 2024
Dominic Leblanc
Dominic Leblanc
Public Safety Minister Dominic LeBlanc. CBSA remains the only major enforcement agency without independent civilian oversight, and the government’s bill to create it is not high among its legislative priorities, writes Ken Rubin. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

CBSA: a troubled agency under the microscope

Opinion | BY KEN RUBIN | May 22, 2024
  • The government has not acted, despite CBSA becoming more of a failed agency that is too authoritative, too administratively weak, and too secretive.

CBSA: a troubled agency under the microscope

Opinion | BY KEN RUBIN | May 22, 2024
  • The government has not acted, despite CBSA becoming more of a failed agency that is too authoritative, too administratively weak, and too secretive.
Dominic Leblanc
Public Safety Minister Dominic LeBlanc. CBSA remains the only major enforcement agency without independent civilian oversight, and the government’s bill to create it is not high among its legislative priorities, writes Ken Rubin. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

Canada’s sordid approach to transparency needs to change

  • Data on everyday contracting is too often hidden, and only minimally posted on the open government portal or sufficiently posted in official public accounts.
Opinion | BY KEN RUBIN | April 22, 2024
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau appeared before the Public Inquiry into Foreign Interference on April 10. The prime minister told the inquiry he did not look at most of those written briefings on interference, and relied more on oral briefings from officials, notes Ken Rubin. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

Canada’s sordid approach to transparency needs to change

Opinion | BY KEN RUBIN | April 22, 2024
  • Data on everyday contracting is too often hidden, and only minimally posted on the open government portal or sufficiently posted in official public accounts.

Canada’s sordid approach to transparency needs to change

Opinion | BY KEN RUBIN | April 22, 2024
  • Data on everyday contracting is too often hidden, and only minimally posted on the open government portal or sufficiently posted in official public accounts.
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau appeared before the Public Inquiry into Foreign Interference on April 10. The prime minister told the inquiry he did not look at most of those written briefings on interference, and relied more on oral briefings from officials, notes Ken Rubin. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

Poilievre’s transparency promises fall short

  • Pierre Poilievre says he wants the federal information commissioner to take on Ottawa’s 'gatekeepers.' But he's not offering to cut back on ATIP exemptions
Opinion | BY KEN RUBIN | February 19, 2024
Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre addresses the Conservative caucus on the Hill on Jan. 28, 2024. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

Poilievre’s transparency promises fall short

Opinion | BY KEN RUBIN | February 19, 2024
  • Pierre Poilievre says he wants the federal information commissioner to take on Ottawa’s 'gatekeepers.' But he's not offering to cut back on ATIP exemptions

Poilievre’s transparency promises fall short

Opinion | BY KEN RUBIN | February 19, 2024
  • Pierre Poilievre says he wants the federal information commissioner to take on Ottawa’s 'gatekeepers.' But he's not offering to cut back on ATIP exemptions
Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre addresses the Conservative caucus on the Hill on Jan. 28, 2024. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade
More Stories

Artificial intelligence another avenue for government to thwart transparency

  • OTTAWA—Artificial intelligence (AI) applications in use at federal agencies are rarely publicly known or sufficiently scrutinized. Yet the algorithms in play to either assist
Opinion | BY KEN RUBIN | February 17, 2021
Under the current broad exemptions of the Access to Information and Privacy Acts, the details of departmental AI use could be denied as being proprietary or matters of national security, law enforcement, and government economic interest, writes Ken Rubin. Photograph courtesy of Pexels

Artificial intelligence another avenue for government to thwart transparency

Opinion | BY KEN RUBIN | February 17, 2021
  • OTTAWA—Artificial intelligence (AI) applications in use at federal agencies are rarely publicly known or sufficiently scrutinized. Yet the algorithms in play to either assist

Artificial intelligence another avenue for government to thwart transparency

Opinion | BY KEN RUBIN | February 17, 2021
  • OTTAWA—Artificial intelligence (AI) applications in use at federal agencies are rarely publicly known or sufficiently scrutinized. Yet the algorithms in play to either assist
Under the current broad exemptions of the Access to Information and Privacy Acts, the details of departmental AI use could be denied as being proprietary or matters of national security, law enforcement, and government economic interest, writes Ken Rubin. Photograph courtesy of Pexels

Payette goes, but secrecy remains

  • OTTAWA—If only a non-partisan arm’s-length vetting committee had been around, Canadians would have had a better governor general than Julie Payette, so they say.
Opinion | BY KEN RUBIN | February 1, 2021
Julie Payette, pictured on Oct. 2, 2017, laying flowers on the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier at the War Memorial, after being installed as the country's new governor general. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

Payette goes, but secrecy remains

Opinion | BY KEN RUBIN | February 1, 2021
  • OTTAWA—If only a non-partisan arm’s-length vetting committee had been around, Canadians would have had a better governor general than Julie Payette, so they say.

Payette goes, but secrecy remains

Opinion | BY KEN RUBIN | February 1, 2021
  • OTTAWA—If only a non-partisan arm’s-length vetting committee had been around, Canadians would have had a better governor general than Julie Payette, so they say.
Julie Payette, pictured on Oct. 2, 2017, laying flowers on the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier at the War Memorial, after being installed as the country's new governor general. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

COVID-19 document disclosure promise not kept

  • Millions of pages of federal pandemic records the Trudeau government was ordered to hand over by the end of November or by the latest,
Opinion | BY KEN RUBIN | December 16, 2020
Privy Council Clerk Ian Shugart told the House Health Committee it will be ‘impossible’ to get them all of the ordered documents by the early December deadline. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

COVID-19 document disclosure promise not kept

Opinion | BY KEN RUBIN | December 16, 2020
  • Millions of pages of federal pandemic records the Trudeau government was ordered to hand over by the end of November or by the latest,

COVID-19 document disclosure promise not kept

Opinion | BY KEN RUBIN | December 16, 2020
  • Millions of pages of federal pandemic records the Trudeau government was ordered to hand over by the end of November or by the latest,
Privy Council Clerk Ian Shugart told the House Health Committee it will be ‘impossible’ to get them all of the ordered documents by the early December deadline. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

Honey, the pandemic shrunk transparency

  • OTTAWA—In these pandemic months, no one, not the public, or Parliament, is getting greater transparency. Existing committees, like the House of Commons Health Committee,
Opinion | BY KEN RUBIN | November 5, 2020
Treasury Board President Jean-Yves Duclos, pictured June 16, 2020, on the Hill, is the federal minister responsible for the application of the Access to Information Act. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

Honey, the pandemic shrunk transparency

Opinion | BY KEN RUBIN | November 5, 2020
  • OTTAWA—In these pandemic months, no one, not the public, or Parliament, is getting greater transparency. Existing committees, like the House of Commons Health Committee,

Honey, the pandemic shrunk transparency

Opinion | BY KEN RUBIN | November 5, 2020
  • OTTAWA—In these pandemic months, no one, not the public, or Parliament, is getting greater transparency. Existing committees, like the House of Commons Health Committee,
Treasury Board President Jean-Yves Duclos, pictured June 16, 2020, on the Hill, is the federal minister responsible for the application of the Access to Information Act. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

We may never get the full story on WE

  • OTTAWA—Ottawa hung around in August for some 5,000 pages of information on the controversial WE Charity potential student grant program. The released records produced
Opinion | BY KEN RUBIN | September 14, 2020
Conservative MP Pierre Poilievre, his party's finance critic, pictured on Aug. 19, 2020, showing a heavily redacted document that the government sent the House Finance Committee about its interactions with the WE Charity regarding a huge student grant program. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

We may never get the full story on WE

Opinion | BY KEN RUBIN | September 14, 2020
  • OTTAWA—Ottawa hung around in August for some 5,000 pages of information on the controversial WE Charity potential student grant program. The released records produced

We may never get the full story on WE

Opinion | BY KEN RUBIN | September 14, 2020
  • OTTAWA—Ottawa hung around in August for some 5,000 pages of information on the controversial WE Charity potential student grant program. The released records produced
Conservative MP Pierre Poilievre, his party's finance critic, pictured on Aug. 19, 2020, showing a heavily redacted document that the government sent the House Finance Committee about its interactions with the WE Charity regarding a huge student grant program. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

Troubled times for transparency call for change 

  • OTTAWA—Shocking revelations and events can stir the public. But that does not mean officials want to give up systemic secrecy practices and bring in
Opinion | BY KEN RUBIN | June 22, 2020
Hundreds of members of the Canadian Armed Forces were called in to help out in at least two dozen Ontario and Quebec long-term care homes in April and May hit hard by COVID-19, and reported allegations of elder abuse and neglect in at least five long-term care homes in Ontario. Photograph courtesy of Department of National Defence

Troubled times for transparency call for change 

Opinion | BY KEN RUBIN | June 22, 2020
  • OTTAWA—Shocking revelations and events can stir the public. But that does not mean officials want to give up systemic secrecy practices and bring in

Troubled times for transparency call for change 

Opinion | BY KEN RUBIN | June 22, 2020
  • OTTAWA—Shocking revelations and events can stir the public. But that does not mean officials want to give up systemic secrecy practices and bring in
Hundreds of members of the Canadian Armed Forces were called in to help out in at least two dozen Ontario and Quebec long-term care homes in April and May hit hard by COVID-19, and reported allegations of elder abuse and neglect in at least five long-term care homes in Ontario. Photograph courtesy of Department of National Defence

Transparency needed on working conditions for federal employees amid pandemic

  • Prime Minister Justin Trudeau on a near-daily basis offers briefings on the COVID-19 pandemic and unveils new spending measures. But what about some basic
Opinion | BY KEN RUBIN | May 12, 2020
Treasury Board Secretariat Jean-Yves Duclos' office said there are 341 confirmed reported viral infections in the federal public service and 31 work refusals. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

Transparency needed on working conditions for federal employees amid pandemic

Opinion | BY KEN RUBIN | May 12, 2020
  • Prime Minister Justin Trudeau on a near-daily basis offers briefings on the COVID-19 pandemic and unveils new spending measures. But what about some basic

Transparency needed on working conditions for federal employees amid pandemic

Opinion | BY KEN RUBIN | May 12, 2020
  • Prime Minister Justin Trudeau on a near-daily basis offers briefings on the COVID-19 pandemic and unveils new spending measures. But what about some basic
Treasury Board Secretariat Jean-Yves Duclos' office said there are 341 confirmed reported viral infections in the federal public service and 31 work refusals. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

Questions remain for federal employees as governments relax physical distancing

  • As federal offices prepare for the inevitable return to work, Public Services and Procurement Canada has assured us that employees will be coming back
Opinion | BY KEN RUBIN | May 1, 2020
Public Services and Procurement Minister Anita Anand is responsible for oversight and management of federally run buildings. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

Questions remain for federal employees as governments relax physical distancing

Opinion | BY KEN RUBIN | May 1, 2020
  • As federal offices prepare for the inevitable return to work, Public Services and Procurement Canada has assured us that employees will be coming back

Questions remain for federal employees as governments relax physical distancing

Opinion | BY KEN RUBIN | May 1, 2020
  • As federal offices prepare for the inevitable return to work, Public Services and Procurement Canada has assured us that employees will be coming back
Public Services and Procurement Minister Anita Anand is responsible for oversight and management of federally run buildings. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

COVID-19 invades and compromises our privacy

  • OTTAWA—COVID-19 puts privacy rights under attack. Zoom-bombers, COVID-19 scammers, and cellphone trackers are gaining ground as Canadians self-isolate. With the necessity of greater cyberspace
Opinion | BY KEN RUBIN | April 20, 2020
Public interest group monitoring of the growing loss of health privacy and individual privacy rights is happening. But it's going to take a concerted effort with the media reporting on privacy violations and breaches to get anywhere. It's a crisis within a crisis. Photograph courtesy of Pexels.com

COVID-19 invades and compromises our privacy

Opinion | BY KEN RUBIN | April 20, 2020
  • OTTAWA—COVID-19 puts privacy rights under attack. Zoom-bombers, COVID-19 scammers, and cellphone trackers are gaining ground as Canadians self-isolate. With the necessity of greater cyberspace

COVID-19 invades and compromises our privacy

Opinion | BY KEN RUBIN | April 20, 2020
  • OTTAWA—COVID-19 puts privacy rights under attack. Zoom-bombers, COVID-19 scammers, and cellphone trackers are gaining ground as Canadians self-isolate. With the necessity of greater cyberspace
Public interest group monitoring of the growing loss of health privacy and individual privacy rights is happening. But it's going to take a concerted effort with the media reporting on privacy violations and breaches to get anywhere. It's a crisis within a crisis. Photograph courtesy of Pexels.com

Upcoming access to information changes? It’s a secret 

  • OTTAWA—A minority Parliament should want greater transparency, hold Prime Minister Justin Trudeau to account, and review his false starts and fresh initiatives. That’s hard
Opinion | BY KEN RUBIN | March 23, 2020
Jean-Yves Duclos is president of the Treasury Board, and in charge of the government's management of the access to information regime. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

Upcoming access to information changes? It’s a secret 

Opinion | BY KEN RUBIN | March 23, 2020
  • OTTAWA—A minority Parliament should want greater transparency, hold Prime Minister Justin Trudeau to account, and review his false starts and fresh initiatives. That’s hard

Upcoming access to information changes? It’s a secret 

Opinion | BY KEN RUBIN | March 23, 2020
  • OTTAWA—A minority Parliament should want greater transparency, hold Prime Minister Justin Trudeau to account, and review his false starts and fresh initiatives. That’s hard
Jean-Yves Duclos is president of the Treasury Board, and in charge of the government's management of the access to information regime. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

Canada: unprepared for natural disasters

  • OTTAWA—The terrifying Australian bush fires is one of the more explosive events of increasing climate change emergencies. Here in Canada, two recently obtained sets
Opinion | BY KEN RUBIN | January 20, 2020
Military personnel, pictured April 30, 2019, trying to block the rising Ottawa River at Constance Bay, just outside of Ottawa. The Canadian Forces units were deployed to flood zones along the Ottawa River Valley last spring in response to record high water levels on both the Ontario and Quebec sides of the river. Canada needs to be less secretive and more transparent in its efforts to tackle emergencies and not hide its deficiencies in awakening to imminent risks posed by increasing natural disasters, writes Ken Rubin. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

Canada: unprepared for natural disasters

Opinion | BY KEN RUBIN | January 20, 2020
  • OTTAWA—The terrifying Australian bush fires is one of the more explosive events of increasing climate change emergencies. Here in Canada, two recently obtained sets

Canada: unprepared for natural disasters

Opinion | BY KEN RUBIN | January 20, 2020
  • OTTAWA—The terrifying Australian bush fires is one of the more explosive events of increasing climate change emergencies. Here in Canada, two recently obtained sets
Military personnel, pictured April 30, 2019, trying to block the rising Ottawa River at Constance Bay, just outside of Ottawa. The Canadian Forces units were deployed to flood zones along the Ottawa River Valley last spring in response to record high water levels on both the Ontario and Quebec sides of the river. Canada needs to be less secretive and more transparent in its efforts to tackle emergencies and not hide its deficiencies in awakening to imminent risks posed by increasing natural disasters, writes Ken Rubin. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

Shining a light on projects affecting the environment: do we get a choice?

  • OTTAWA—The environment will be a major issue this October. But one example access-to-information records reveal is how infrastructure funds and the chance of increased
Opinion | BY KEN RUBIN | September 16, 2019
Parks Canada, while downplaying the route as a road, had hoped the expanded trail would lead to a "reasonably priced" private bus shuttle service operating on the gravel roadway, but that has not as yet materialized. Initial work proceeded in 2017 and by the time critics twigged in, work was well underway. By 2018, the access trail work to the iconic fjord in 2018 included uprooting parts of a bog and vegetation and bringing in the crushed stone for the widened route, writes Ken Rubin. Photograph courtesy of Commons Wikimedia

Shining a light on projects affecting the environment: do we get a choice?

Opinion | BY KEN RUBIN | September 16, 2019
  • OTTAWA—The environment will be a major issue this October. But one example access-to-information records reveal is how infrastructure funds and the chance of increased

Shining a light on projects affecting the environment: do we get a choice?

Opinion | BY KEN RUBIN | September 16, 2019
  • OTTAWA—The environment will be a major issue this October. But one example access-to-information records reveal is how infrastructure funds and the chance of increased
Parks Canada, while downplaying the route as a road, had hoped the expanded trail would lead to a "reasonably priced" private bus shuttle service operating on the gravel roadway, but that has not as yet materialized. Initial work proceeded in 2017 and by the time critics twigged in, work was well underway. By 2018, the access trail work to the iconic fjord in 2018 included uprooting parts of a bog and vegetation and bringing in the crushed stone for the widened route, writes Ken Rubin. Photograph courtesy of Commons Wikimedia

Outdated privacy legislation goes to bureaucrats for review

  • OTTAWA—Privacy always tops the list of Canadians’ concerns. Yet, governments have been unwilling to really change Canada’s outdated public-sector Privacy Act and improve it
Opinion | BY KEN RUBIN | July 8, 2019
Bureaucrats at the Justice Department, overseen by Justice Minister David Lametti, are leading discussions on reforms to the Privacy Act, which governs the public sector and is badly in need of an update to reflect the realities of the digital age, writes Ken Rubin. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

Outdated privacy legislation goes to bureaucrats for review

Opinion | BY KEN RUBIN | July 8, 2019
  • OTTAWA—Privacy always tops the list of Canadians’ concerns. Yet, governments have been unwilling to really change Canada’s outdated public-sector Privacy Act and improve it

Outdated privacy legislation goes to bureaucrats for review

Opinion | BY KEN RUBIN | July 8, 2019
  • OTTAWA—Privacy always tops the list of Canadians’ concerns. Yet, governments have been unwilling to really change Canada’s outdated public-sector Privacy Act and improve it
Bureaucrats at the Justice Department, overseen by Justice Minister David Lametti, are leading discussions on reforms to the Privacy Act, which governs the public sector and is badly in need of an update to reflect the realities of the digital age, writes Ken Rubin. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

Three Trudeau ministers among those stalling access to information requests

  • OTTAWA—There comes a time, as the 2019 election looms, that the Trudeau government’s handling of access to information requests of public importance needs to
Opinion | BY KEN RUBIN | June 17, 2019
Innovation Minister Navdeep Bains is one of three members of the federal cabinet that Ken Rubin says aren't living up to their obligations to disclose information to the public, including information Mr. Bains' ministry has about expensive defence procurement projects overseen by Procurement Minister Carla Qualtrough, left. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

Three Trudeau ministers among those stalling access to information requests

Opinion | BY KEN RUBIN | June 17, 2019
  • OTTAWA—There comes a time, as the 2019 election looms, that the Trudeau government’s handling of access to information requests of public importance needs to

Three Trudeau ministers among those stalling access to information requests

Opinion | BY KEN RUBIN | June 17, 2019
  • OTTAWA—There comes a time, as the 2019 election looms, that the Trudeau government’s handling of access to information requests of public importance needs to
Innovation Minister Navdeep Bains is one of three members of the federal cabinet that Ken Rubin says aren't living up to their obligations to disclose information to the public, including information Mr. Bains' ministry has about expensive defence procurement projects overseen by Procurement Minister Carla Qualtrough, left. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

FCAC report on banking high-pressure sales practices fails smell test; Bill C-58 can only help facilitate more such sanitized government reports

  • OTTAWA—Bill C-58, the act to amend the Access to Information Act introduced in 2017 and passed with amendments by the Senate on May 7,
Opinion | BY KEN RUBIN | May 20, 2019
We need less, not more government hucksterism where the people are treated like suckers under the Access to Information Act, writes access and transparency advocate Ken Rubin. Photograph courtesy of Picpedia.Org/Nick Youngson

FCAC report on banking high-pressure sales practices fails smell test; Bill C-58 can only help facilitate more such sanitized government reports

Opinion | BY KEN RUBIN | May 20, 2019
  • OTTAWA—Bill C-58, the act to amend the Access to Information Act introduced in 2017 and passed with amendments by the Senate on May 7,

FCAC report on banking high-pressure sales practices fails smell test; Bill C-58 can only help facilitate more such sanitized government reports

Opinion | BY KEN RUBIN | May 20, 2019
  • OTTAWA—Bill C-58, the act to amend the Access to Information Act introduced in 2017 and passed with amendments by the Senate on May 7,
We need less, not more government hucksterism where the people are treated like suckers under the Access to Information Act, writes access and transparency advocate Ken Rubin. Photograph courtesy of Picpedia.Org/Nick Youngson

Judges win, Bill C-58 gets to top of Senate list for quick passage

  • OTTAWA—Judging from Senators’ recent, orchestrated cave-in removing the public from being able to see individual judges’ expenses, Canada’s Access to Information Act is well
Opinion | BY KEN RUBIN | April 29, 2019
Members of the Legal and Constitutional Affairs Committee, pictured The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

Judges win, Bill C-58 gets to top of Senate list for quick passage

Opinion | BY KEN RUBIN | April 29, 2019
  • OTTAWA—Judging from Senators’ recent, orchestrated cave-in removing the public from being able to see individual judges’ expenses, Canada’s Access to Information Act is well

Judges win, Bill C-58 gets to top of Senate list for quick passage

Opinion | BY KEN RUBIN | April 29, 2019
  • OTTAWA—Judging from Senators’ recent, orchestrated cave-in removing the public from being able to see individual judges’ expenses, Canada’s Access to Information Act is well
Members of the Legal and Constitutional Affairs Committee, pictured The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

Massive secrecy inroads and barriers to access near approval in the Senate

  • OTTAWA—The Senate Legal and Constitutional Committee is winding its way, clause by clause, through Bill C-58. But it’s already approved the most divisive change
Opinion | BY KEN RUBIN | April 1, 2019
Members of the Senate Committee on Legal and Constitutional Affairs, headed by Liberal Senator Serge Joyal, pictured on Oct. 3, 2018, at a hearing with then Treasury Board present Scott Brison to discuss Bill C-58. The Hill Times photographs by Andrew Meade

Massive secrecy inroads and barriers to access near approval in the Senate

Opinion | BY KEN RUBIN | April 1, 2019
  • OTTAWA—The Senate Legal and Constitutional Committee is winding its way, clause by clause, through Bill C-58. But it’s already approved the most divisive change

Massive secrecy inroads and barriers to access near approval in the Senate

Opinion | BY KEN RUBIN | April 1, 2019
  • OTTAWA—The Senate Legal and Constitutional Committee is winding its way, clause by clause, through Bill C-58. But it’s already approved the most divisive change
Members of the Senate Committee on Legal and Constitutional Affairs, headed by Liberal Senator Serge Joyal, pictured on Oct. 3, 2018, at a hearing with then Treasury Board present Scott Brison to discuss Bill C-58. The Hill Times photographs by Andrew Meade

Rediscovering the rent-free house next door to 24 Sussex Dr.

  • OTTAWA—Many Canadians just want to have an affordable, but interesting house to rent. One such desirable house happens to be on the grounds of
Opinion | BY KEN RUBIN | March 11, 2019
The former coach house at 10 Sussex Dr. is now used by the RCMP, writes Ken Rubin. Photograph courtesy of Google

Rediscovering the rent-free house next door to 24 Sussex Dr.

Opinion | BY KEN RUBIN | March 11, 2019
  • OTTAWA—Many Canadians just want to have an affordable, but interesting house to rent. One such desirable house happens to be on the grounds of

Rediscovering the rent-free house next door to 24 Sussex Dr.

Opinion | BY KEN RUBIN | March 11, 2019
  • OTTAWA—Many Canadians just want to have an affordable, but interesting house to rent. One such desirable house happens to be on the grounds of
The former coach house at 10 Sussex Dr. is now used by the RCMP, writes Ken Rubin. Photograph courtesy of Google

Secret deals preventing access to prime ministerial papers

  • Secret multi-million-dollar deals are being made with former prime ministers (or their executors) to obtain their papers for archival purposes, and to pay for
Opinion | BY KEN RUBIN | February 11, 2019
Former prime minister Brian Mulroney is one of several ex-PMs who have struck a deal with Library and Archives Canada to organize and donate records from their time in the office, to be kept secret for years. The Hill Times file photograph

Secret deals preventing access to prime ministerial papers

Opinion | BY KEN RUBIN | February 11, 2019
  • Secret multi-million-dollar deals are being made with former prime ministers (or their executors) to obtain their papers for archival purposes, and to pay for

Secret deals preventing access to prime ministerial papers

Opinion | BY KEN RUBIN | February 11, 2019
  • Secret multi-million-dollar deals are being made with former prime ministers (or their executors) to obtain their papers for archival purposes, and to pay for
Former prime minister Brian Mulroney is one of several ex-PMs who have struck a deal with Library and Archives Canada to organize and donate records from their time in the office, to be kept secret for years. The Hill Times file photograph

Another year, more government secrecy

  • OTTAWA—The new year brings with it at least four basic problems that put transparency under threat. Problem one: “pro-active” sanitized data and propaganda dominates
Opinion | BY KEN RUBIN | January 28, 2019
Treasury Board President Jane Philpott inherited stewardship of the government's access to information bill, C-58, and its transparency policies when she was shuffled into the role earlier this month. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

Another year, more government secrecy

Opinion | BY KEN RUBIN | January 28, 2019
  • OTTAWA—The new year brings with it at least four basic problems that put transparency under threat. Problem one: “pro-active” sanitized data and propaganda dominates

Another year, more government secrecy

Opinion | BY KEN RUBIN | January 28, 2019
  • OTTAWA—The new year brings with it at least four basic problems that put transparency under threat. Problem one: “pro-active” sanitized data and propaganda dominates
Treasury Board President Jane Philpott inherited stewardship of the government's access to information bill, C-58, and its transparency policies when she was shuffled into the role earlier this month. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

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