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Ken Rubin

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

Bill C-27 lacking transparency for private-sector, AI privacy intrusions

  • The legislative scheme appears to be more about legally permitting continued and expanded AI use with little interest in privacy protection for individuals, and
Opinion | BY KEN RUBIN | November 27, 2023
As it stands, Bill C-27 is data-driven, putting business interests and secrecy first, writes Ken Rubin. Unsplash photograph by Matthew Henry

Bill C-27 lacking transparency for private-sector, AI privacy intrusions

Opinion | BY KEN RUBIN | November 27, 2023
  • The legislative scheme appears to be more about legally permitting continued and expanded AI use with little interest in privacy protection for individuals, and

Bill C-27 lacking transparency for private-sector, AI privacy intrusions

Opinion | BY KEN RUBIN | November 27, 2023
  • The legislative scheme appears to be more about legally permitting continued and expanded AI use with little interest in privacy protection for individuals, and
As it stands, Bill C-27 is data-driven, putting business interests and secrecy first, writes Ken Rubin. Unsplash photograph by Matthew Henry

Murky access-to-information responses aren’t fit for a king

  • Probing for records on the processes used for some high-ranking official endeavours can yield bits of data that, in turn, raise more questions.
Opinion | BY KEN RUBIN | November 9, 2023
Access-to-information documents released by the Royal Canadian Mint reveal a few twists, such as the fact Buckingham Palace gets to approve and own King Charles III’s images on Canadian currency, writes Ken Rubin. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

Murky access-to-information responses aren’t fit for a king

Opinion | BY KEN RUBIN | November 9, 2023
  • Probing for records on the processes used for some high-ranking official endeavours can yield bits of data that, in turn, raise more questions.

Murky access-to-information responses aren’t fit for a king

Opinion | BY KEN RUBIN | November 9, 2023
  • Probing for records on the processes used for some high-ranking official endeavours can yield bits of data that, in turn, raise more questions.
Access-to-information documents released by the Royal Canadian Mint reveal a few twists, such as the fact Buckingham Palace gets to approve and own King Charles III’s images on Canadian currency, writes Ken Rubin. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

Barriers to overhauling Ottawa’s service delivery and secrecy culture

  • Ottawa's rigid management style is stymying service delivery and disclosures, and is increasingly out of touch and out of control.
Opinion | BY KEN RUBIN | October 25, 2023
In her latest reports released last week, Auditor General Karen Hogan documents Ottawa's continued service delivery ineptness, writes Ken Rubin. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

Barriers to overhauling Ottawa’s service delivery and secrecy culture

Opinion | BY KEN RUBIN | October 25, 2023
  • Ottawa's rigid management style is stymying service delivery and disclosures, and is increasingly out of touch and out of control.

Barriers to overhauling Ottawa’s service delivery and secrecy culture

Opinion | BY KEN RUBIN | October 25, 2023
  • Ottawa's rigid management style is stymying service delivery and disclosures, and is increasingly out of touch and out of control.
In her latest reports released last week, Auditor General Karen Hogan documents Ottawa's continued service delivery ineptness, writes Ken Rubin. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

The public pays for self-serving and promotional government activity behind closed doors

  • Once ferreted out, and very late, government access-to-information releases are rarely not self-serving. Many a bureaucrat can tell you dozens of stories about such plans,
Opinion | BY KEN RUBIN | September 20, 2023
Pedestrians cross Elgin and Sparks streets on Aug. 9, 2023. Taxpayers are on the hook for attempts by bureaucrats to massage their public images or keep embarrassing government data from seeing the light of day, writes Ken Rubin. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

The public pays for self-serving and promotional government activity behind closed doors

Opinion | BY KEN RUBIN | September 20, 2023
  • Once ferreted out, and very late, government access-to-information releases are rarely not self-serving. Many a bureaucrat can tell you dozens of stories about such plans,

The public pays for self-serving and promotional government activity behind closed doors

Opinion | BY KEN RUBIN | September 20, 2023
  • Once ferreted out, and very late, government access-to-information releases are rarely not self-serving. Many a bureaucrat can tell you dozens of stories about such plans,
Pedestrians cross Elgin and Sparks streets on Aug. 9, 2023. Taxpayers are on the hook for attempts by bureaucrats to massage their public images or keep embarrassing government data from seeing the light of day, writes Ken Rubin. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

The government is scuttling your right to know

  • From the top down, neither the prime minister nor his government have the will to change secrecy practices and open up Ottawa.
Opinion | BY KEN RUBIN | July 26, 2023
Information Commissioner Caroline Maynard noted the steady decline in honouring access to information requests in her annual report last year. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

The government is scuttling your right to know

Opinion | BY KEN RUBIN | July 26, 2023
  • From the top down, neither the prime minister nor his government have the will to change secrecy practices and open up Ottawa.

The government is scuttling your right to know

Opinion | BY KEN RUBIN | July 26, 2023
  • From the top down, neither the prime minister nor his government have the will to change secrecy practices and open up Ottawa.
Information Commissioner Caroline Maynard noted the steady decline in honouring access to information requests in her annual report last year. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

House committee report mixes politics and partial fixes to Canada’s out-of-touch Access to Information Act

  • At least the recommendations go further in capturing some of what is needed to reform an access act that suffers tremendously from delays, exemptions,
Opinion | BY KEN RUBIN | June 28, 2023
Treasury Board President Mona Fortier told the House Access to Information Committee legislative amendments to the access act, if any, would have to wait until 2024-25. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

House committee report mixes politics and partial fixes to Canada’s out-of-touch Access to Information Act

Opinion | BY KEN RUBIN | June 28, 2023
  • At least the recommendations go further in capturing some of what is needed to reform an access act that suffers tremendously from delays, exemptions,

House committee report mixes politics and partial fixes to Canada’s out-of-touch Access to Information Act

Opinion | BY KEN RUBIN | June 28, 2023
  • At least the recommendations go further in capturing some of what is needed to reform an access act that suffers tremendously from delays, exemptions,
Treasury Board President Mona Fortier told the House Access to Information Committee legislative amendments to the access act, if any, would have to wait until 2024-25. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

David Johnston, super vetting government information consultant, bows out

  • Nobody ever said freeing-up Ottawa with so many government insiders afraid of public disclosures or having independent inquiries would be easy. 
Opinion | BY KEN RUBIN | June 15, 2023
David Johnston, Independent Special Rapporteur on Foreign Interference, appears at the Procedure and House Affairs Committee in West Block on June 6, 2023, to answer questions about foreign interference as calls for his resignation continued. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

David Johnston, super vetting government information consultant, bows out

Opinion | BY KEN RUBIN | June 15, 2023
  • Nobody ever said freeing-up Ottawa with so many government insiders afraid of public disclosures or having independent inquiries would be easy. 

David Johnston, super vetting government information consultant, bows out

Opinion | BY KEN RUBIN | June 15, 2023
  • Nobody ever said freeing-up Ottawa with so many government insiders afraid of public disclosures or having independent inquiries would be easy. 
David Johnston, Independent Special Rapporteur on Foreign Interference, appears at the Procedure and House Affairs Committee in West Block on June 6, 2023, to answer questions about foreign interference as calls for his resignation continued. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

Three ways federal transparency is threatened

  • Hiding artificial intelligence use, automatically incorporating regulations by reference, and using non-disclosure agreements all allow a creep towards government opacity.
Opinion | BY KEN RUBIN | June 14, 2023
When there are efforts to suppress, sanitize, and depersonalize faulty actions or questionable government operations, the public loses out, big time, writes Ken Rubin. Pexels photograph by Juan Pablo Serrano Arenas

Three ways federal transparency is threatened

Opinion | BY KEN RUBIN | June 14, 2023
  • Hiding artificial intelligence use, automatically incorporating regulations by reference, and using non-disclosure agreements all allow a creep towards government opacity.

Three ways federal transparency is threatened

Opinion | BY KEN RUBIN | June 14, 2023
  • Hiding artificial intelligence use, automatically incorporating regulations by reference, and using non-disclosure agreements all allow a creep towards government opacity.
When there are efforts to suppress, sanitize, and depersonalize faulty actions or questionable government operations, the public loses out, big time, writes Ken Rubin. Pexels photograph by Juan Pablo Serrano Arenas

Signs of change: Parks Canada examines how we can address our past and future

  • The agency is grappling with twin challenges of how we contend with Canada's history, and how we will respond to the effects of climate
Opinion | BY KEN RUBIN | May 22, 2023
The minister responsible for signing off on major rewrites and even revocations of matters designated as commemorative will be current Environment Minister Steven Guilbeault. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

Signs of change: Parks Canada examines how we can address our past and future

Opinion | BY KEN RUBIN | May 22, 2023
  • The agency is grappling with twin challenges of how we contend with Canada's history, and how we will respond to the effects of climate

Signs of change: Parks Canada examines how we can address our past and future

Opinion | BY KEN RUBIN | May 22, 2023
  • The agency is grappling with twin challenges of how we contend with Canada's history, and how we will respond to the effects of climate
The minister responsible for signing off on major rewrites and even revocations of matters designated as commemorative will be current Environment Minister Steven Guilbeault. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

Deceit, spin, politics, and a costly plan replace calls for greater transparency

  • The House Access Committee hopes to have a report out in late May or early June. Treasury Board President Mona Fortier's appearance indicated a
Opinion | BY KEN RUBIN | May 1, 2023
Treasury Board President Mona Fortier, pictured on the Hill, recently told members of the House Access to Information Committee that if any access-to-information legislative changes are introduced, that would happen during the five-year statutory in 2024-25. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

Deceit, spin, politics, and a costly plan replace calls for greater transparency

Opinion | BY KEN RUBIN | May 1, 2023
  • The House Access Committee hopes to have a report out in late May or early June. Treasury Board President Mona Fortier's appearance indicated a

Deceit, spin, politics, and a costly plan replace calls for greater transparency

Opinion | BY KEN RUBIN | May 1, 2023
  • The House Access Committee hopes to have a report out in late May or early June. Treasury Board President Mona Fortier's appearance indicated a
Treasury Board President Mona Fortier, pictured on the Hill, recently told members of the House Access to Information Committee that if any access-to-information legislative changes are introduced, that would happen during the five-year statutory in 2024-25. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

Trudeau, Huppé reinforce secrecy barriers

  • Meanwhile, the public remains deserted after 40 years of excessive secrecy under Canada's Access to Information Act and no one is really listening or
Opinion | BY KEN RUBIN | March 22, 2023
Treasury Board President Mona Fortier, seen at a press conference on March 21, 2023. Fortier has been requested to testify this month at the House Access to Information Committee about access to information. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

Trudeau, Huppé reinforce secrecy barriers

Opinion | BY KEN RUBIN | March 22, 2023
  • Meanwhile, the public remains deserted after 40 years of excessive secrecy under Canada's Access to Information Act and no one is really listening or

Trudeau, Huppé reinforce secrecy barriers

Opinion | BY KEN RUBIN | March 22, 2023
  • Meanwhile, the public remains deserted after 40 years of excessive secrecy under Canada's Access to Information Act and no one is really listening or
Treasury Board President Mona Fortier, seen at a press conference on March 21, 2023. Fortier has been requested to testify this month at the House Access to Information Committee about access to information. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

Secretive bureaucrats tight-lipped on two prime ministerial promises

  • Prime Minister Justin Trudeau still hasn't established a Canadian Centre of Peace, Order and Good Government, and he still hasn't banned the export of
Opinion | BY KEN RUBIN | February 8, 2023
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau made a 2021 election promise to ban the export of live horses for slaughter. In his Dec. 16, 2021, mandate letter to Agriculture Minister Marie-Claude Bibeau, Trudeau instructed her to end horse exports for slaughter. This is another promise that has yet to be kept, writes Ken Rubin. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

Secretive bureaucrats tight-lipped on two prime ministerial promises

Opinion | BY KEN RUBIN | February 8, 2023
  • Prime Minister Justin Trudeau still hasn't established a Canadian Centre of Peace, Order and Good Government, and he still hasn't banned the export of

Secretive bureaucrats tight-lipped on two prime ministerial promises

Opinion | BY KEN RUBIN | February 8, 2023
  • Prime Minister Justin Trudeau still hasn't established a Canadian Centre of Peace, Order and Good Government, and he still hasn't banned the export of
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau made a 2021 election promise to ban the export of live horses for slaughter. In his Dec. 16, 2021, mandate letter to Agriculture Minister Marie-Claude Bibeau, Trudeau instructed her to end horse exports for slaughter. This is another promise that has yet to be kept, writes Ken Rubin. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

Canadians’ privacy could take a serious hit this coming legislative session

  • OTTAWA—Government actions coming our way this year will dramatically affect Canadians’ personal data if left as is.  One action, partly hidden and under-reported, involves
Opinion | BY KEN RUBIN | January 16, 2023
Canada's Privacy Commissioner Philippe Dufresne, pictured. Canadians will need much more than a 'look-the-other-way' house-cleaning in an updated Privacy Act if it’s to become an effective instrument of privacy rights and protection, writes Ken Rubin. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

Canadians’ privacy could take a serious hit this coming legislative session

Opinion | BY KEN RUBIN | January 16, 2023
  • OTTAWA—Government actions coming our way this year will dramatically affect Canadians’ personal data if left as is.  One action, partly hidden and under-reported, involves

Canadians’ privacy could take a serious hit this coming legislative session

Opinion | BY KEN RUBIN | January 16, 2023
  • OTTAWA—Government actions coming our way this year will dramatically affect Canadians’ personal data if left as is.  One action, partly hidden and under-reported, involves
Canada's Privacy Commissioner Philippe Dufresne, pictured. Canadians will need much more than a 'look-the-other-way' house-cleaning in an updated Privacy Act if it’s to become an effective instrument of privacy rights and protection, writes Ken Rubin. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

Treasury Board’s overdue review of Access Act is big on propaganda, light on recommendations

  • Treasury Board is not capable of being the engine and manager of any access-to-information regime, writes Ken Rubin.
Opinion | BY KEN RUBIN | December 26, 2022
Treasury Board President Mona Fortier, pictured on the Hill on Nov. 29, 2022. On Dec. 13, Treasury Board tabled its statutory review of Canada's Access to Information Act—two-and-a-half years after it began. It's a dense, bureaucratic essay without concrete recommendations or proposed amendments, passing itself off as a legislative review. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

Treasury Board’s overdue review of Access Act is big on propaganda, light on recommendations

Opinion | BY KEN RUBIN | December 26, 2022
  • Treasury Board is not capable of being the engine and manager of any access-to-information regime, writes Ken Rubin.

Treasury Board’s overdue review of Access Act is big on propaganda, light on recommendations

Opinion | BY KEN RUBIN | December 26, 2022
  • Treasury Board is not capable of being the engine and manager of any access-to-information regime, writes Ken Rubin.
Treasury Board President Mona Fortier, pictured on the Hill on Nov. 29, 2022. On Dec. 13, Treasury Board tabled its statutory review of Canada's Access to Information Act—two-and-a-half years after it began. It's a dense, bureaucratic essay without concrete recommendations or proposed amendments, passing itself off as a legislative review. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

Ottawa’s transit woes take a licking in LRT inquiry report

  • Two derailments to date, one large sinkhole delay, poorly designed tracks, and consistently unreliable service: all are hung up in the scathing LRT report.
Opinion | BY KEN RUBIN | December 7, 2022
The recent inquiry report dissected complex interactions and technical problems with the 12.5 km-long Stage 1 light rail transit Confederation route in Ottawa. Photograph courtesy of Flickr/lezumbalaberenjena

Ottawa’s transit woes take a licking in LRT inquiry report

Opinion | BY KEN RUBIN | December 7, 2022
  • Two derailments to date, one large sinkhole delay, poorly designed tracks, and consistently unreliable service: all are hung up in the scathing LRT report.

Ottawa’s transit woes take a licking in LRT inquiry report

Opinion | BY KEN RUBIN | December 7, 2022
  • Two derailments to date, one large sinkhole delay, poorly designed tracks, and consistently unreliable service: all are hung up in the scathing LRT report.
The recent inquiry report dissected complex interactions and technical problems with the 12.5 km-long Stage 1 light rail transit Confederation route in Ottawa. Photograph courtesy of Flickr/lezumbalaberenjena

Exposing Library and Archives Canada’s dismal transparency record

  • OTTAWA—When I first came to Ottawa in the mid-1960s, I started going to the National Archives to access government records. I met Archives personnel
Opinion | BY KEN RUBIN | October 27, 2022
Library and Archives Canada, pictured on April 23, 2019. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

Exposing Library and Archives Canada’s dismal transparency record

Opinion | BY KEN RUBIN | October 27, 2022
  • OTTAWA—When I first came to Ottawa in the mid-1960s, I started going to the National Archives to access government records. I met Archives personnel

Exposing Library and Archives Canada’s dismal transparency record

Opinion | BY KEN RUBIN | October 27, 2022
  • OTTAWA—When I first came to Ottawa in the mid-1960s, I started going to the National Archives to access government records. I met Archives personnel
Library and Archives Canada, pictured on April 23, 2019. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

Finger-pointing Poilievre is still with us

  • OTTAWA—Once Pierre Poilievre accusingly pointed the finger in my direction, just like he has for others. The circumstances were as follows: he sat on
Opinion | BY KEN RUBIN | September 22, 2022
New Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre, who won with 70 per cent of the votes on Sept. 10 in Ottawa, is pictured recently on the Hill. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

Finger-pointing Poilievre is still with us

Opinion | BY KEN RUBIN | September 22, 2022
  • OTTAWA—Once Pierre Poilievre accusingly pointed the finger in my direction, just like he has for others. The circumstances were as follows: he sat on

Finger-pointing Poilievre is still with us

Opinion | BY KEN RUBIN | September 22, 2022
  • OTTAWA—Once Pierre Poilievre accusingly pointed the finger in my direction, just like he has for others. The circumstances were as follows: he sat on
New Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre, who won with 70 per cent of the votes on Sept. 10 in Ottawa, is pictured recently on the Hill. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

Is belated federal intervention helpful to resolving the capital community’s traumatization by Freedom Trucker Convoy protesters?

  • OTTAWA—Does it take special federal legislation to overcome hatred and official inaction to stop “Freedom” Convoy intrusions? Ottawa belatedly thought so when it invoked
Opinion | BY KEN RUBIN | September 14, 2022
A United People of Canada supporter, pictured on Aug. 25, 2022, outside the former St. Brigid’s church in Lowertown neighbourhood in Ottawa. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

Is belated federal intervention helpful to resolving the capital community’s traumatization by Freedom Trucker Convoy protesters?

Opinion | BY KEN RUBIN | September 14, 2022
  • OTTAWA—Does it take special federal legislation to overcome hatred and official inaction to stop “Freedom” Convoy intrusions? Ottawa belatedly thought so when it invoked

Is belated federal intervention helpful to resolving the capital community’s traumatization by Freedom Trucker Convoy protesters?

Opinion | BY KEN RUBIN | September 14, 2022
  • OTTAWA—Does it take special federal legislation to overcome hatred and official inaction to stop “Freedom” Convoy intrusions? Ottawa belatedly thought so when it invoked
A United People of Canada supporter, pictured on Aug. 25, 2022, outside the former St. Brigid’s church in Lowertown neighbourhood in Ottawa. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

Does the federal government fund and support racially discriminating groups and individuals?

  • OTTAWA—Federal funding of hateful messaging has been in the news lately after Prime Minister Justin Trudeau condemned the comments of a senior consultant who
Opinion | BY KEN RUBIN | September 8, 2022
Party on, Wayne: A Freedom Convoy supporter, pictured Feb. 17, 2022, drinking a can of beer out of work glove on Wellington Street, across from the Senate of Canada Building. At that point, the downtown occupation had entered its third week. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

Does the federal government fund and support racially discriminating groups and individuals?

Opinion | BY KEN RUBIN | September 8, 2022
  • OTTAWA—Federal funding of hateful messaging has been in the news lately after Prime Minister Justin Trudeau condemned the comments of a senior consultant who

Does the federal government fund and support racially discriminating groups and individuals?

Opinion | BY KEN RUBIN | September 8, 2022
  • OTTAWA—Federal funding of hateful messaging has been in the news lately after Prime Minister Justin Trudeau condemned the comments of a senior consultant who
Party on, Wayne: A Freedom Convoy supporter, pictured Feb. 17, 2022, drinking a can of beer out of work glove on Wellington Street, across from the Senate of Canada Building. At that point, the downtown occupation had entered its third week. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

Consumer interest is being overlooked and manipulated

  • OTTAWA—Canadians lack basic consumer protection at a time when the economy is not favouring the consumer. This was illustrated on July 8 when Rogers
Opinion | BY KEN RUBIN | July 25, 2022
Innovation Minister François-Philippe Champagne, pictured in this file photo on the Hill. The Hill Times file photograph by Andrew Meade

Consumer interest is being overlooked and manipulated

Opinion | BY KEN RUBIN | July 25, 2022
  • OTTAWA—Canadians lack basic consumer protection at a time when the economy is not favouring the consumer. This was illustrated on July 8 when Rogers

Consumer interest is being overlooked and manipulated

Opinion | BY KEN RUBIN | July 25, 2022
  • OTTAWA—Canadians lack basic consumer protection at a time when the economy is not favouring the consumer. This was illustrated on July 8 when Rogers
Innovation Minister François-Philippe Champagne, pictured in this file photo on the Hill. The Hill Times file photograph by Andrew Meade

While the Charter lets us dream, the Access to Information Act is a nightmare

  • OTTAWA—Two pieces of once-promising Canadian legislation have turned out very differently 40 years on. One is Canada’s Charter of Rights and Freedoms, enacted on
Opinion | BY KEN RUBIN | June 9, 2022
Queen Elizabeth and prime minister Pierre Elliott Trudeau, pictured April 17, 1982, signing the Constitution. It's time to put the Charter of Rights and Freedoms and the Access to Information Act on the same page so that Canadians' rights to know can no longer be ignored, trampled on or based on the state controlling what Canadians get or not get disclosed, writes Ken Rubin. Photograph courtesy of Flickr/Robert Cooper

While the Charter lets us dream, the Access to Information Act is a nightmare

Opinion | BY KEN RUBIN | June 9, 2022
  • OTTAWA—Two pieces of once-promising Canadian legislation have turned out very differently 40 years on. One is Canada’s Charter of Rights and Freedoms, enacted on

While the Charter lets us dream, the Access to Information Act is a nightmare

Opinion | BY KEN RUBIN | June 9, 2022
  • OTTAWA—Two pieces of once-promising Canadian legislation have turned out very differently 40 years on. One is Canada’s Charter of Rights and Freedoms, enacted on
Queen Elizabeth and prime minister Pierre Elliott Trudeau, pictured April 17, 1982, signing the Constitution. It's time to put the Charter of Rights and Freedoms and the Access to Information Act on the same page so that Canadians' rights to know can no longer be ignored, trampled on or based on the state controlling what Canadians get or not get disclosed, writes Ken Rubin. Photograph courtesy of Flickr/Robert Cooper

Industry lobbying under guise of pandemic stimuli pressing own interests behind closed doors

  • The pandemic emergency has been used by business interests to gain access to government officials to present corporate demands while claiming that they want
Opinion | BY KEN RUBIN | May 17, 2022
During COVID times, special interests and major employers can blatantly lobby for their own well-being under the cover of COVID economic recovery behind closed doors, hoping their meetings will be kept secret, writes Ken Rubin. Pexels photograph by Savvas Stavrinos

Industry lobbying under guise of pandemic stimuli pressing own interests behind closed doors

Opinion | BY KEN RUBIN | May 17, 2022
  • The pandemic emergency has been used by business interests to gain access to government officials to present corporate demands while claiming that they want

Industry lobbying under guise of pandemic stimuli pressing own interests behind closed doors

Opinion | BY KEN RUBIN | May 17, 2022
  • The pandemic emergency has been used by business interests to gain access to government officials to present corporate demands while claiming that they want
During COVID times, special interests and major employers can blatantly lobby for their own well-being under the cover of COVID economic recovery behind closed doors, hoping their meetings will be kept secret, writes Ken Rubin. Pexels photograph by Savvas Stavrinos

Liberals still stalling on transparency in government

  • OTTAWA—If you thought the NDP would hold the federal Liberals’ feet to the fire for the public to gain vastly increased transparency practices in
Opinion | BY KEN RUBIN | April 18, 2022
Treasury Board President Mona Fortier, followed by Seniors Minister Kamal Khera, Mental Health and Addictions Minister Carolyn Bennett, and Health Minister Jean-Yves Duclos, pictured March 25, 2022, at a health-care funding announcement at the University of Ottawa. The Hill Times photograph by Sam Garcia

Liberals still stalling on transparency in government

Opinion | BY KEN RUBIN | April 18, 2022
  • OTTAWA—If you thought the NDP would hold the federal Liberals’ feet to the fire for the public to gain vastly increased transparency practices in

Liberals still stalling on transparency in government

Opinion | BY KEN RUBIN | April 18, 2022
  • OTTAWA—If you thought the NDP would hold the federal Liberals’ feet to the fire for the public to gain vastly increased transparency practices in
Treasury Board President Mona Fortier, followed by Seniors Minister Kamal Khera, Mental Health and Addictions Minister Carolyn Bennett, and Health Minister Jean-Yves Duclos, pictured March 25, 2022, at a health-care funding announcement at the University of Ottawa. The Hill Times photograph by Sam Garcia

Why is Patrick Brown running for the federal Conservative leadership and how does he fit with Jean Charest?

  • OTTAWA—On the surface, it makes little sense why a former short-time Ontario provincial leader and now Brampton mayor—known for running the show there—is coming
Opinion | BY KEN RUBIN | March 28, 2022
Former Quebec premier Jean Charest and Brampton Mayor Patrick Brown have reportedly formed a pact in the federal leadership race, according to The Toronto Star, that could make one of them the next leader of the Conservative party. On the surface, it makes little sense why a former short-time Ontario provincial leader and now Brampton mayor, known for running the show there, is coming forward to throw his hat into the race. But Brown has politics in his blood and greater ambitions, writes Ken Rubin. The Hill Times file photographs

Why is Patrick Brown running for the federal Conservative leadership and how does he fit with Jean Charest?

Opinion | BY KEN RUBIN | March 28, 2022
  • OTTAWA—On the surface, it makes little sense why a former short-time Ontario provincial leader and now Brampton mayor—known for running the show there—is coming

Why is Patrick Brown running for the federal Conservative leadership and how does he fit with Jean Charest?

Opinion | BY KEN RUBIN | March 28, 2022
  • OTTAWA—On the surface, it makes little sense why a former short-time Ontario provincial leader and now Brampton mayor—known for running the show there—is coming
Former Quebec premier Jean Charest and Brampton Mayor Patrick Brown have reportedly formed a pact in the federal leadership race, according to The Toronto Star, that could make one of them the next leader of the Conservative party. On the surface, it makes little sense why a former short-time Ontario provincial leader and now Brampton mayor, known for running the show there, is coming forward to throw his hat into the race. But Brown has politics in his blood and greater ambitions, writes Ken Rubin. The Hill Times file photographs

A leader with baggage steps back into the spotlight

  • The entrance of Jean Charest, ex-politician extraordinaire, to the federal Conservative leadership race requires a closer examination of his work since 2013 as an
Opinion | BY KEN RUBIN | March 11, 2022
While other past prime ministers have been wealthy and had corporate ties, nowadays this may matter more. The public knows Justin Trudeau came from a privileged background, Paul Martin had a whole steamship company, and that Brian Mulroney and Jean Chrétien had corporate buddies and interests. Now it's Jean Charest's time to be put in a fish bowl, writes Ken Rubin. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

A leader with baggage steps back into the spotlight

Opinion | BY KEN RUBIN | March 11, 2022
  • The entrance of Jean Charest, ex-politician extraordinaire, to the federal Conservative leadership race requires a closer examination of his work since 2013 as an

A leader with baggage steps back into the spotlight

Opinion | BY KEN RUBIN | March 11, 2022
  • The entrance of Jean Charest, ex-politician extraordinaire, to the federal Conservative leadership race requires a closer examination of his work since 2013 as an
While other past prime ministers have been wealthy and had corporate ties, nowadays this may matter more. The public knows Justin Trudeau came from a privileged background, Paul Martin had a whole steamship company, and that Brian Mulroney and Jean Chrétien had corporate buddies and interests. Now it's Jean Charest's time to be put in a fish bowl, writes Ken Rubin. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

Federal, city inquiries into occupations and blockades too limited

  • With the end of the emergency declarations and the Emergencies Act’s use, authorities are starting to examine what went wrong and the causes that
Opinion | BY KEN RUBIN | March 2, 2022
Ottawa residents formed a counter-protest on Feb. 13 to block a group of Freedom Convoy vehicles that were driving through the city towards the downtown core. Having an independent national judicial inquiry and more comprehensive local relief assistance can go a long way towards rejuvenation, and finding out what really happened, writes Ken Rubin. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

Federal, city inquiries into occupations and blockades too limited

Opinion | BY KEN RUBIN | March 2, 2022
  • With the end of the emergency declarations and the Emergencies Act’s use, authorities are starting to examine what went wrong and the causes that

Federal, city inquiries into occupations and blockades too limited

Opinion | BY KEN RUBIN | March 2, 2022
  • With the end of the emergency declarations and the Emergencies Act’s use, authorities are starting to examine what went wrong and the causes that
Ottawa residents formed a counter-protest on Feb. 13 to block a group of Freedom Convoy vehicles that were driving through the city towards the downtown core. Having an independent national judicial inquiry and more comprehensive local relief assistance can go a long way towards rejuvenation, and finding out what really happened, writes Ken Rubin. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

Judicial inquiry needed into Ottawa siege and countrywide blockades

  • Now that Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has revoked the Emergencies Act, Canadians have to decide if a joint parliamentary committee and vaguely-defined inquiry is
Opinion | BY KEN RUBIN | February 24, 2022
'Freedom Convoy' supporters gather in front of Centre Block on Jan. 29. Without calling a judicial inquiry in the next 30 days into the blockades, which is possible in a minority government situation, the public interest will not be served, and our leaders will have abandoned us instead of working for the common good and a decent vibrant future, writes Ken Rubin. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

Judicial inquiry needed into Ottawa siege and countrywide blockades

Opinion | BY KEN RUBIN | February 24, 2022
  • Now that Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has revoked the Emergencies Act, Canadians have to decide if a joint parliamentary committee and vaguely-defined inquiry is

Judicial inquiry needed into Ottawa siege and countrywide blockades

Opinion | BY KEN RUBIN | February 24, 2022
  • Now that Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has revoked the Emergencies Act, Canadians have to decide if a joint parliamentary committee and vaguely-defined inquiry is
'Freedom Convoy' supporters gather in front of Centre Block on Jan. 29. Without calling a judicial inquiry in the next 30 days into the blockades, which is possible in a minority government situation, the public interest will not be served, and our leaders will have abandoned us instead of working for the common good and a decent vibrant future, writes Ken Rubin. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade
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Watson’s actions during siege crisis in Ottawa raises questions

  • Ottawa Mayor Jim Watson’s heavy-handed style was on full display in the coup against the Ottawa Police Services Board on Feb. 16, which saw
Opinion | BY KEN RUBIN | February 18, 2022
Ottawa Mayor Jim Watson's none-too-astute political intervention during an insurrection crisis into police affairs is not instilling public confidence, writes Ken Rubin. The Hill Times Photograph by Sam Garcia

Watson’s actions during siege crisis in Ottawa raises questions

Opinion | BY KEN RUBIN | February 18, 2022
  • Ottawa Mayor Jim Watson’s heavy-handed style was on full display in the coup against the Ottawa Police Services Board on Feb. 16, which saw

Watson’s actions during siege crisis in Ottawa raises questions

Opinion | BY KEN RUBIN | February 18, 2022
  • Ottawa Mayor Jim Watson’s heavy-handed style was on full display in the coup against the Ottawa Police Services Board on Feb. 16, which saw
Ottawa Mayor Jim Watson's none-too-astute political intervention during an insurrection crisis into police affairs is not instilling public confidence, writes Ken Rubin. The Hill Times Photograph by Sam Garcia

Treasury Board should get out of the business of faking disclosures

  • OTTAWA—The Treasury Board thinks and acts like a privileged cabinet committee yet continues to handle federal disclosure policies with a bureaucratic and regressive fist.
Opinion | BY KEN RUBIN | February 14, 2022
The Treasury Board, overseen by new president Mona Fortier, is fairly ineffective in its duty to either prevent or document record destruction, and ineffective at keeping records or promptly collecting them, writes Ken Rubin. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

Treasury Board should get out of the business of faking disclosures

Opinion | BY KEN RUBIN | February 14, 2022
  • OTTAWA—The Treasury Board thinks and acts like a privileged cabinet committee yet continues to handle federal disclosure policies with a bureaucratic and regressive fist.

Treasury Board should get out of the business of faking disclosures

Opinion | BY KEN RUBIN | February 14, 2022
  • OTTAWA—The Treasury Board thinks and acts like a privileged cabinet committee yet continues to handle federal disclosure policies with a bureaucratic and regressive fist.
The Treasury Board, overseen by new president Mona Fortier, is fairly ineffective in its duty to either prevent or document record destruction, and ineffective at keeping records or promptly collecting them, writes Ken Rubin. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

2022: the year of information deals and vulnerabilities

  • OTTAWA—Will 2022 be the year of information deals? More information breaches? And will access to information be noticeably changed for better or worse? First
Opinion | BY KEN RUBIN | December 20, 2021
Treasury Board President Mona Fortier, pictured Dec. 14, 2021, arriving for the Liberal party caucus meeting in the West Block. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

2022: the year of information deals and vulnerabilities

Opinion | BY KEN RUBIN | December 20, 2021
  • OTTAWA—Will 2022 be the year of information deals? More information breaches? And will access to information be noticeably changed for better or worse? First

2022: the year of information deals and vulnerabilities

Opinion | BY KEN RUBIN | December 20, 2021
  • OTTAWA—Will 2022 be the year of information deals? More information breaches? And will access to information be noticeably changed for better or worse? First
Treasury Board President Mona Fortier, pictured Dec. 14, 2021, arriving for the Liberal party caucus meeting in the West Block. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

Transparency remains low on Trudeau and other governments’ priorities  

  • OTTAWA—Access to information at the beginning of Trudeau’s third-term government still remains a hit-and-miss-patchwork system of delays, denials, and partial disclosures. Since late 2019,
Opinion | BY KEN RUBIN | November 8, 2021
Treasury Board President, Mona Fortier, pictured left in Ottawa on Oct. 27, 2021, is now responsible for the access-to-information legislation, but access advocate Ken Rubin says no one expects this government to push for more transparency, despite its promises. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

Transparency remains low on Trudeau and other governments’ priorities  

Opinion | BY KEN RUBIN | November 8, 2021
  • OTTAWA—Access to information at the beginning of Trudeau’s third-term government still remains a hit-and-miss-patchwork system of delays, denials, and partial disclosures. Since late 2019,

Transparency remains low on Trudeau and other governments’ priorities  

Opinion | BY KEN RUBIN | November 8, 2021
  • OTTAWA—Access to information at the beginning of Trudeau’s third-term government still remains a hit-and-miss-patchwork system of delays, denials, and partial disclosures. Since late 2019,
Treasury Board President, Mona Fortier, pictured left in Ottawa on Oct. 27, 2021, is now responsible for the access-to-information legislation, but access advocate Ken Rubin says no one expects this government to push for more transparency, despite its promises. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

Opposition to combating centralized secretive prime ministerial decision-making is weak

  • OTTAWA—Those who long for changing the excessive centralization of power and control in the hands of the prime minister and the PMO are few
Opinion | BY KEN RUBIN | September 8, 2021
The Prime Minister's Office in Ottawa. Those who long for changing the excessive centralization of power and control in the hands of the prime minister and the PMO are few in numbers and without forceful campaigns, writes Ken Rubin. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

Opposition to combating centralized secretive prime ministerial decision-making is weak

Opinion | BY KEN RUBIN | September 8, 2021
  • OTTAWA—Those who long for changing the excessive centralization of power and control in the hands of the prime minister and the PMO are few

Opposition to combating centralized secretive prime ministerial decision-making is weak

Opinion | BY KEN RUBIN | September 8, 2021
  • OTTAWA—Those who long for changing the excessive centralization of power and control in the hands of the prime minister and the PMO are few
The Prime Minister's Office in Ottawa. Those who long for changing the excessive centralization of power and control in the hands of the prime minister and the PMO are few in numbers and without forceful campaigns, writes Ken Rubin. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

Government contempt for transparency undermines reconciliation

  • Public sentiment dictates action after the discovery of residential school children’s grave sites. It’s not, however, going to be easy to try and compensate
Opinion | BY KEN RUBIN | August 23, 2021
Information Commissioner Caroline Maynard warned in February that access to information is a 'quasi-constitutional right' that could not be suspended because of the pandemic, but an investigation by The Ottawa Citizen found that the federal government had often made access requests a low priority. Photograph courtesy of Office of the Information Commissioner of Canada

Government contempt for transparency undermines reconciliation

Opinion | BY KEN RUBIN | August 23, 2021
  • Public sentiment dictates action after the discovery of residential school children’s grave sites. It’s not, however, going to be easy to try and compensate

Government contempt for transparency undermines reconciliation

Opinion | BY KEN RUBIN | August 23, 2021
  • Public sentiment dictates action after the discovery of residential school children’s grave sites. It’s not, however, going to be easy to try and compensate
Information Commissioner Caroline Maynard warned in February that access to information is a 'quasi-constitutional right' that could not be suspended because of the pandemic, but an investigation by The Ottawa Citizen found that the federal government had often made access requests a low priority. Photograph courtesy of Office of the Information Commissioner of Canada

Treasury Board’s pretend review of Canada’s Access to Information Act is also a waste of money  

  • OTTAWA—Treasury Board’s statutory review of Canada’s Access to Information Act is late, has had very little public uptake, and is going to cost taxpayers
Opinion | BY KEN RUBIN | July 29, 2021
Treasury Board President Jean-Yves Duclos, pictured Nov. 27, 2020, on the Hill, is the political minister responsible for the Access to Information Act. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

Treasury Board’s pretend review of Canada’s Access to Information Act is also a waste of money  

Opinion | BY KEN RUBIN | July 29, 2021
  • OTTAWA—Treasury Board’s statutory review of Canada’s Access to Information Act is late, has had very little public uptake, and is going to cost taxpayers

Treasury Board’s pretend review of Canada’s Access to Information Act is also a waste of money  

Opinion | BY KEN RUBIN | July 29, 2021
  • OTTAWA—Treasury Board’s statutory review of Canada’s Access to Information Act is late, has had very little public uptake, and is going to cost taxpayers
Treasury Board President Jean-Yves Duclos, pictured Nov. 27, 2020, on the Hill, is the political minister responsible for the Access to Information Act. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

Documented: 215 reasons we need full disclosure

  • OTTAWA—Too often we think of our past records as simply what’s officially documented and written on paper. Far too much of that, however, is
Opinion | BY KEN RUBIN | June 3, 2021
A new classroom building of the Kamloops Residential School in Kamloops, B.C., pictured in 1950. The Canadian government and the governments can fly all its flags at half mast at all its federal buildings for a memorial for the Indigenous children who died, but what's really needed is full transparency and accountability to stay on board with the public's needs or to help those whose stories and past horrors need addressing, writes Ken Rubin. Photograph courtesy of Flickr

Documented: 215 reasons we need full disclosure

Opinion | BY KEN RUBIN | June 3, 2021
  • OTTAWA—Too often we think of our past records as simply what’s officially documented and written on paper. Far too much of that, however, is

Documented: 215 reasons we need full disclosure

Opinion | BY KEN RUBIN | June 3, 2021
  • OTTAWA—Too often we think of our past records as simply what’s officially documented and written on paper. Far too much of that, however, is
A new classroom building of the Kamloops Residential School in Kamloops, B.C., pictured in 1950. The Canadian government and the governments can fly all its flags at half mast at all its federal buildings for a memorial for the Indigenous children who died, but what's really needed is full transparency and accountability to stay on board with the public's needs or to help those whose stories and past horrors need addressing, writes Ken Rubin. Photograph courtesy of Flickr

A little-known Trans-Canada digital identity regime in the works, in whose interest?  

  • OTTAWA—Are Canadians being gamed by certain government and corporate interests into believing a brighter post-pandemic future is coming if we all have digital IDs?
Opinion | BY KEN RUBIN | April 29, 2021
Privacy Commissioner Daniel Therrien, right, and Ellen Weintraub, pictured May 28, 2019, at the House Access to Information, Privacy and Ethics Committee. In a recent March speech, the privacy commissioner expressed concerns that the penalty grounds for privacy invasion in Bill C-11 are too limited. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

A little-known Trans-Canada digital identity regime in the works, in whose interest?  

Opinion | BY KEN RUBIN | April 29, 2021
  • OTTAWA—Are Canadians being gamed by certain government and corporate interests into believing a brighter post-pandemic future is coming if we all have digital IDs?

A little-known Trans-Canada digital identity regime in the works, in whose interest?  

Opinion | BY KEN RUBIN | April 29, 2021
  • OTTAWA—Are Canadians being gamed by certain government and corporate interests into believing a brighter post-pandemic future is coming if we all have digital IDs?
Privacy Commissioner Daniel Therrien, right, and Ellen Weintraub, pictured May 28, 2019, at the House Access to Information, Privacy and Ethics Committee. In a recent March speech, the privacy commissioner expressed concerns that the penalty grounds for privacy invasion in Bill C-11 are too limited. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

Secrecy surrounds fees paid to Irving for Canada’s 15 multi-billion-dollar warships    

  • The Trudeau government is refusing to say how many millions Irving Shipbuilding Industries has been paid as the sole prime contractor for the Canadian
Opinion | BY KEN RUBIN | April 19, 2021
Design of the future Canadian surface combatant will be based on BAE’s Type 26 warship. The Trudeau government is refusing to say how many millions Irving Ship Building Industries has been paid as the sole prime contractor for the Canadian Surface Combatant (CSC) project to build 15 frigate ships, writes Ken Rubin. Image courtesy of Public Services and Procurement

Secrecy surrounds fees paid to Irving for Canada’s 15 multi-billion-dollar warships    

Opinion | BY KEN RUBIN | April 19, 2021
  • The Trudeau government is refusing to say how many millions Irving Shipbuilding Industries has been paid as the sole prime contractor for the Canadian

Secrecy surrounds fees paid to Irving for Canada’s 15 multi-billion-dollar warships    

Opinion | BY KEN RUBIN | April 19, 2021
  • The Trudeau government is refusing to say how many millions Irving Shipbuilding Industries has been paid as the sole prime contractor for the Canadian
Design of the future Canadian surface combatant will be based on BAE’s Type 26 warship. The Trudeau government is refusing to say how many millions Irving Ship Building Industries has been paid as the sole prime contractor for the Canadian Surface Combatant (CSC) project to build 15 frigate ships, writes Ken Rubin. Image courtesy of Public Services and Procurement

Officially designed hoarding boards to take centre stage while splitting Parliament’s great front lawn in two

  • OTTAWA—If you thought surrounding a construction site with hoarding boards was straightforward, think again. Think of Parliament Hill, Centre Block’s redevelopment construction site, and
Opinion | BY KEN RUBIN | March 22, 2021
The 21 panels blocking views of construction on the iconic Centre Block building for the next decade will consist of 'large-scale black and white photography highlighting architectural details of the Centre Block, along with ... parliamentary, Indigenous, Centre Block rehabilitation, historical and way-finding themes,' PSPC says. Image courtesy of Public Services and Procurement Canada

Officially designed hoarding boards to take centre stage while splitting Parliament’s great front lawn in two

Opinion | BY KEN RUBIN | March 22, 2021
  • OTTAWA—If you thought surrounding a construction site with hoarding boards was straightforward, think again. Think of Parliament Hill, Centre Block’s redevelopment construction site, and

Officially designed hoarding boards to take centre stage while splitting Parliament’s great front lawn in two

Opinion | BY KEN RUBIN | March 22, 2021
  • OTTAWA—If you thought surrounding a construction site with hoarding boards was straightforward, think again. Think of Parliament Hill, Centre Block’s redevelopment construction site, and
The 21 panels blocking views of construction on the iconic Centre Block building for the next decade will consist of 'large-scale black and white photography highlighting architectural details of the Centre Block, along with ... parliamentary, Indigenous, Centre Block rehabilitation, historical and way-finding themes,' PSPC says. Image courtesy of Public Services and Procurement Canada

Go elsewhere for Canadian information

  • It is unacceptable when Canadians cannot find basic pandemic data and have to start going to other countries for it. Such is the case
Opinion | BY KEN RUBIN | March 17, 2021
Treasury Board President Jean-Yves Duclos is pictured in Ottawa on Nov. 27, 2020. The Treasury Board has not lead enough to prevent departments suspending full access services or in pushing access as an essential service or to enforce departments meeting their obligations to record decisions made, writes Ken Rubin. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

Go elsewhere for Canadian information

Opinion | BY KEN RUBIN | March 17, 2021
  • It is unacceptable when Canadians cannot find basic pandemic data and have to start going to other countries for it. Such is the case

Go elsewhere for Canadian information

Opinion | BY KEN RUBIN | March 17, 2021
  • It is unacceptable when Canadians cannot find basic pandemic data and have to start going to other countries for it. Such is the case
Treasury Board President Jean-Yves Duclos is pictured in Ottawa on Nov. 27, 2020. The Treasury Board has not lead enough to prevent departments suspending full access services or in pushing access as an essential service or to enforce departments meeting their obligations to record decisions made, writes Ken Rubin. The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

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