Ontario universities are currently exempt from the Freedom of Information legislation. Any reasonable individual will instantly understand that this is wrong. In fact, most people ar rather surprised to discover that the universities are exempt and have assumed that they naturally fall under this legislation.

In order to bring true transparency to the management of universities and to have them be accountable to the public for the billions of tax dollars they receive, the universities must come under the jurisdiction of the Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act. On Wednesday May 12, 2004 Bill 81 was introduced for this purpose.

Bill 81
An Act to amend the Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act with respect to universities

Her Majesty, by and with the advice and consent of the Legislative Assembly of the Province of Ontario, enacts as follows:

1. (1) The definition of "head" in subsection 2 (1) of the Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act, as amended by the Statutes of Ontario, 2002, chapter 34, Schedule B, section 3, is amended by striking out "and" at the end of clause (a) and by adding the following clause:

(a.1) in the case of a university, the president of the university, or the person holding a position equivalent to president, and

(2) The definition of "institution" in subsection 2 (1) of the Act, as amended by the Statutes of Ontario, 2002, chapter 34, Schedule B, section 3, is amended by striking out "and" at the end of clause (a) and by adding the following clause:

(a.1) a university, and

Commencement

2. This Act comes into force on the day it receives Royal Assent.

Short title

3. The short title of this Act is the Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Amendment Act, 2004.

EXPLANATORY NOTE

Universities are made "institutions" to which the Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act applies.