As you may know the exemption from Freedom of Information legislation currently enjoyed by Ontario universities has been the cause for ongoing concern on campuses across the province.

At a time when we are discussing how to bring more funding into the system, this exemption is preventing the public from accounting for a good deal of the funds already * in * the system and controlled by individual universities.

Whether it be secret campus exclusivity deals with soft drink or cellphone marketers, murky real estate deals for new research parks, or even the whereabouts of hundreds of millions of dollars administered by the U of T investment fund, secrecy is hampering full public oversight into our system.

Despite this, the Council of Ontario Universities (the COU) has come out against including universities under Freedom of Information legislation.

We note that you are presently the chancellor of a university that is an active member of the COU. Given that, and your own government’s reluctance to bring universities under freedom of information in the early 90’s, can you tell us where you * now * stand on the issue and what scope you feel the panel has to make recommendations on the matter?