HALIFAX – Nova Scotia’s premier says there will likely be changes to legislation that the province’s freedom of information commissioner says weakens the public’s right to access government records and documents.
Tim Houston made the statement during question period in the legislature today, but did not provide specifics.
In response to Opposition NDP Leader Claudia Chender, Houston said that after he met with commissioner Patricia Ralph on Tuesday, he was sure the legislation would be amended.
Ralph has taken issue with amendments that allow departments to refuse access requests on the basis they’re “trivial, frivolous or vexatious,” saying the measures are too broad and inconsistent with legislation elsewhere in the country.
She was also critical of an amendment that would allow departments to demand that applicants include in their requests “sufficient particulars” — details such as precise times or locations in connection with the documents or records being sought.
On Monday, Houston withdrew other amendments from the same omnibus bill that would have allowed his government to fire the auditor general without cause, amid rising public criticisms of the legislation.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Feb. 26, 2025.
