Commissioner's update for correctional employees: Right to know week

As public servants and stewards of the public interest, we collectively uphold the bedrock principles of transparency, accountability, and democratic governance. Right to Know Week, which runs this year from September 25 to October 1, provides an opportunity to remind ourselves of our responsibility to uphold the right of access to information through our championing of transparency, our sound management of records, and our timely responses to access to information requests.

This year, Right to Know Week holds a special significance as it marks the 40th anniversary of the coming into force of the Access to Information Act, a reminder to us that the right of access has long been enshrined in law, and has evolved to the point where it is considered a quasi-constitutional right benefitting all Canadians. As public servants, we are called upon to address the challenges in the area of access to information that have emerged over time. It is our shared duty to recognize and uphold the principles embedded in this legislation.

With that in mind, there are many things we can do in our day-to-day work in support of this goal, the proper management of information being of particular importance. I invite you to enrol in the Information Management in the Government of Canada course offered by the Canada School of Public Service and familiarize yourselves with the following best practices for effective email management. These practices will not only facilitate prompt responses to access requests but also reduce the effort needed to produce records in response to these requests.

In closing, I also want to express my gratitude to our dedicated ATIP team for their professionalism, diligence and commitment.

To learn more about access to information during Right to Know Week, I invite you to follow the Office of the Information Commissioner of Canada’s social media accounts (Twitter, Facebook and LinkedIn, hashtag #RTK2023).

Happy Right to Know Week!