“Right to Know Week” is an international event which aims to raise awareness of individuals’ right to access government information and to promote access to information as a fundamental human right; it is Sunday Sept. 28th to Oct. 3rd 2008.  Canada’s info and privacy commissioners - both at the federal and provincial levels - are organizing public events.  There are a number of events throughout B.C. Here’s the information about the Vancouver event organized through BC’s Information and Privacy Commissioner’’s office and BC FIPA:

“Government Secrecy in BC and Canada: are we winning the struggle?”
Documents recording the decisions of government - past and present are essential in the quest for transparent government. Neither the public nor elected officials can ever hope to hold the government to account if they don’t have sufficient information about government activity. Nor can the government adequately demonstrate it has used public resources responsibly if the records are not preserved or easily made available for scrutiny.

Hear two global experts Alasdair Roberts and Professor Emeritus Terry Eastwood discuss the current threat in B.C. to the preservation of vital government records and the opportunity Canada has to take a leadership role in strengthening open government nationally and around the world.

Wed. Oct. 1st, 2008   7:00 - 10:00 pm
1400-1410 Segal Centre, SFU Harbourfront
515 West Hastings St.

Free. No registration required.

For more information on this event, other events around the province - in Victoria, Parksville, Campbell River, Kamloops, Surrey, 100 Mile House - or Right to Know Week  — www.oipc.bc.ca/RIGHT_TO_KNOW-2008.htm