Liberal leader Carney commits to review of federal Access to Information system

OTTAWA — Liberal Leader Mark Carney is promising a review of Canada’s Access to Information system if his party wins the federal election, suggesting he sees room for improvement.

On the federal election trail today, Carney committed to an “objective review’ of the federal transparency regime, saying it would serve Canadians well.

For a $5 fee, people can use the access law to ask for a range of federal documents — from internal emails and invoices to briefing notes and policy memos — but it has long been criticized as outdated and poorly implemented.

Federal agencies are supposed to respond within 30 days or provide valid reasons why more time is needed to process a request.

The law has not been significantly updated since its introduction more than 40 years ago, and many users complain of lengthy delays, heavily blacked-out documents or blanket denials in response to their applications.

Carney said that as an outsider, he “can’t always follow the process,” citing redactions to documents and the time taken to answer requests.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published April 25, 2025.

Jim Bronskill, The Canadian Press