CUPE to Nominate Williams Government For CAJ ‘Code of Silence’ Award
Uncategorized Comments (0)
Williams Government Secrecy Gains Award Nomination
Yesterday’s announcement from the Williams government that it will overrule its own privacy commissioner and not release government polling results, has prompted CUPE to nominate it for a ‘Code of Silence’ award.
The tongue-in-cheek award is handed out annually by the Canadian
Association of Journalists (CAJ) as a way of exposing government secrecy.
CUPE Newfoundland and Labrador President Wayne Lucas says, “What is the point of having a provincial Privacy Commissioner, asking him to make a ruling and then promptly overturning his ruling because you don’t agree with it?
“This is exactly what the Canadian Association of Journalists had in mind when they started handing out these awards a few years ago. It’s about exposing government stonewalling and high-handedness – two traits that have been demonstrated in abundance by the current provincial government,” says Lucas.
“Does any fair-minded citizen of this province honestly believe acting
Justice Minister Tom Rideout when he says that government polls – which are paid for with taxpayers’ dollars – are secret cabinet documents”, asks Lucas.
Lucas says last year’s winner was the Nova Scotia government for its
year-long pattern of secrecy, including instituting the highest fees in the
country for access to information requests.
Says Lucas, “CUPE is betting this latest move from the Williams
government will result in back-to-back ‘Code of Silence’ winners for Atlantic
Canada.”
@ June 30, 2005