Information Underload: NDP Promise Goes Unfulfilled News О Page 2
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15 10 / / 07 VOLUME 64 2009 Information underload: NDP promise goes unfulfilled news page 2 Winnipeg Idol You could be Sick City's next lead singer arts & culture page 13 02 The UniTer OctOber 15, 2009 www.UniTer.ca Where's the Feel like makin' love? LookIng For LIstIngs? Cover Image sports section? campus & community listings and Don't do it in front of rob holt volunteer opportunities page 6 Part of "Forest romp" by howie Tsui music page 12, Film page 16 Find out about changes ink, acrylic and chinese paint pigment on Mulberry galleries page 15, theatre, we've made to The Uniter From Tsui's horror Fables exhibit, currently dance and comedy page 14 showing at aceartinc., 2nd floor, 290 McDermot literature page 14 ave. Look for an article about the exhibit in the editorial page 8 comments page 10 Oct. 22 issue of The Uniter. news UNITER STAFF ManaGinG eDitor Aaron Epp » [email protected] BUSiness ManaGer Maggi Robinson » [email protected] Getting access to information not so easy PrODUcTiOn ManaGer ethan Melody Morrissette » [email protected] after promising C "For people who cOPy anD styLe eDitor A b more transparency, el care about access Chris Campbell » [email protected] to information these Photo eDitor nDP just as bad findings are very Cindy Titus » [email protected] as the other guys, disappointing." newS assiGnMenT eDitor Andrew McMonagle » [email protected] - Mary AgneS weLch, PreSiDenT, report says newS PrODUcTiOn eDitor canaDian AssociaTiOn OF JOUrnaLists Cameron MacLean » [email protected] arts anD culture eDitor eThaN CaBel order the disclosure of information Sam Hagenlocher » [email protected] BeaT reporTer only through the recommendation cOMMents eDitor of the Ombudsman. Andrew Tod » [email protected] "Transparency is obviously a Listings cOOrDinator After promising transparency, the high priority of our government," J.P. Perron [email protected] provincial government has been said Eric Robinson, Minister of » largely secretive and unaccountable Legislature lockdown: information is slow to come from the provincial government, with Culture, Heritage, Tourism and caMPUS BeaT rePOrTer Courtney Schwegel [email protected] over the past ten years, a new re- only 58 per cent of FiPPa requests getting a response in the time allotted. Sport with the added responsibility » port states. of enforcing FIPPA. "The adjudica- BeaT rePOrTer The Canadian Association of tor will be an independent officer Caitlin Laird » [email protected] Journalists (CAJ), along with the are very disappointing," said Mary despite the recommendation of the with power to order the govern- Canadian Taxpayers Federation Agnes Welch, a Winnipeg Free Press Ombudsman, said Craig. ment to act and I think that is a BeaT rePOrTer (CTF) and the Manitoba reporter who is president of the FIPPA puts exemptions to ac- substantial move forward." Ethan Cabel » [email protected] Association of Rights and Liberties CAJ. cess in two categories, mandatory The authors of the report remain BeaT rePOrTer recently published a critical report As far back as 1999, the gov- exemptions and discretionary ex- skeptical about the power of the Samuel Swanson » [email protected] stating the provincial government ernment promised to establish an emptions. Information considered adjudicator. culture rePOrTer has not fulfilled promises to amend information and privacy commis- a mandatory exemption will rarely "As a citizen I cannot appeal to C. Jordan Crosthwaite [email protected] the Freedom of Information and sioner who would have the power be released. Cabinet confidences the adjudicator for information," » Protection of Privacy Act (FIPPA). to order the government to disclose (like conversations or documents said Welch. FIPPA outlines the means by which information. exchanged between ministers) less The adjudicator is merely a mid- the public can acquire informa- The report claims the govern- than 30 years old are considered dle-man between the Ombudsman CoNTrIBUTORS: tion not released by the provincial ment is slow to respond to FIPPA mandatory exemptions. and the government, she said. Jihan Muhamad, John Gaudes, Sonya government. requests, with only 58 per cent of "Cabinet confidences are the howard, Brooke Dmytriw, Kip Guenther, "It's easy in opposition to push requests receiving a response within catch-all justification to deny access Sarah reilly, Mary ann Masesar, Melanie for transparency," said Colin Craig, 30 days. to information," said Welch. Murchison, Sandy Klowak, Matt austman, the Manitoba director of CTF. Under FIPPA, an information In the face of cabinet confidences rob holt, Matty rygiel, ian Mcammond, "But with the NDP at the reigns request can be made to any pub- and other broad exemptions, the correction: ryan Suche, Brandon Bertram, Lynnette of power they have been no better lic body. If there is no response Ombudsman's office requires ade- in the Oct. 8 issue of The McLarty, Jaya Beange, Mike Duerksen, than previous governments." within 30 days, or if a person feels quate power to demand the release Uniter, we mistakenly referred courtney Brecht, Stephanie Taylor, Melissa Access to otherwise undisclosed they were unjustly denied access, of certain information, she added. hiebert, rachel Bergen, Kathleen cerrer, information is highly important they can complain to the Manitoba The Manitoba government re- to the Skateboard coalition of J. williamez, Sagan Morrow, Mark reimer, to journalists, who require infor- Ombudsman, which can recom- cently passed several amendments Manitoba as the Skateboarding crystal Staryk, Janessa nayler, cindy Titus, mation that could be in the public mend the government release the to FIPPA. They include reducing James culleton, natalie Dyck, ryan Janz, coalition of Manitoba (pages 14 Miguel McKenna, will Gibson interest. information. cabinet confidences to 20 years and "For people who care about ac- The problem is that the govern- creating an information and pri- and 15). we regret the error. cess to information these findings ment can withhold information vacy adjudicator with the power to The Uniter is the official student newspaper of the University of winnipeg and is published by Mouseland Press inc. Mouseland Press inc. is a membership based organization in which students and community members are invited to participate. For more information on how to become a member go to www. uniter.ca, or call the office at 786-9790. The Uniter is a member of the canadian University Press and campus Plus Media Services. bY Ethan CAbel SUBMiSSiOn OF ARTicLeS, LeTTERS, GRAPhicS AND Q: Do you thInk the Doer government has been PhOTOS ARE WELcOMe. articles must be submitted in text (.rtf) or Microsoft word (.doc) format to editor@ open anD transparent sInce takIng oFFIce? uniter.ca, or the relevant section editor. Deadline for submissions is 6:00 p.m. Thursday, one week before publication. Deadline for advertisements is noon Friday, six days prior to publication. The Uniter reserves the right to refuse to print submitted Jocelyn best, courtney maddock, alex kyle, material. The Uniter will not print submissions that film student university of Winnipeg students' politics student are homophobic, misogynistic, racist, or libellous. we "Somewhat no, because coming association vice-president internal "In certain regards maybe also reserve the right to edit for length and/or style. from a small town I know that "Every government tries to be open they're transparent but most of the money goes to the and honest with their constituents I don't necessarily agree with everything they do." city ... so we're told one thing, but there are times when there is cONtACT US » and then another thing happens." information they can't release ... the General Inquiries: 204.786.9790 government doesn't have the right to Advertising: 204.786.9790 give out information on health care editors: 204.786.9497 or legal matters or child and family Fax: 204.783.7080 services." e-mail: [email protected] Web: www.uniter.ca tanis grist, kirsten godbout, Justin robillard, LOcAtION » manager at subway manager food operations and manager uWSA part-time and room OrM14 "I'm happy with the NDP catering Diversity Food services mature students' centre University of Winnipeg and always vote for them. "No government is open and transpar- "I believe the Doer government has 515 Portage Avenue I haven't had a disappoint- ent. It's the nature of government been transparent in giving the media Winnipeg, Manitoba r3b 2e9 ment yet." because they go in with an agenda and and the public enough information to omit any information that would be make an informed judgment on the detrimental to that agenda." goings-on at the legislature." Mouseland Press Board of directors: Michael rac (chair), Shawn coates, courtney Berthelette, clayton winter, Devin King, alex Freedman, Shannon Sampert, rob nay, Brian Gagnon, Meg McGimpsey, Kelly ross (UwSa representative). For inquiries e-mail: [email protected] NEws 03 www.UniTer.ca OctOber 15, 2009 The UniTer SpeakUpWinnipeg.com gets a response local M ar website gets k R News Briefs hundreds of eimer compiled by John Gaudes thousands of hits, “WIse up WInnIpeg” raIsIng photo enForcement aWareness but is it making a with a five-minute video and a strong message, former traffic police difference? officer Larry Stefanuik is attempting to open winnipeggers' eyes on the controversial subject of photo enforcement. JIhaN mUhamad along with winnipeg businessman volUNTeer staff Todd Dube, Stefanuik created wiseUpwinnipeg.com in order to push city traffic police to increase signage on speed traps and increase amber SpeakUpWinnipeg.com has had times in key winnipeg intersections. hundreds of thousands of page in a short video on the site, views since its launch on Apr. 25. Stefanuik claims that by adding a Ian Hall, policy and program plan- second to amber times in high-speed ner with SpeakUp Winnipeg, said intersections, close to 80 per cent he thinks the website has been suc- of traffic tickets can be avoided and cessful because urban planning has drivers will be given the time they need to make the decision to slow been raised in public conversation.