We're certain they'll be much fuss and hoopla over the funding increases promised to universities by the Ontario government in its 2005 budget released today.

Least it escape everyone's notice, right there on page 16 of the budget we see:

The government proposes to make Ontario's universities subject to the provisions of the Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act and to ensure that Ontario publicly funded postsecondary institutions are transparent and accountable to the people of Ontario while, at the same time, respecting academic freedom and competitiveness.

That is in fact the only instance in the entire budget where Freedom of Information (FOI) legislation is mentioned.

Bringing the Ontario universities under FOI was, of course, one of Bob Rae's recommendations. We've heard pronouncements from McGuinty's Ministers that they want to bring universities under FOI legislation before. The Minister of Training, Colleges and Universities, Mary Anne Chambers, believes FOI should apply to universities (November 2004), as do other government and union officials.

A word of caution. The universities have been lobbying for special exemptions from FOI legislation should they be brought under the act. The phrase in the budget "respecting academic freedom and competitiveness" must not be construed to provide special exemptions. We see no justification for any exemptions and neither did the government in British Columbia when faced with similar lobbying for special exemptions by their universities. The Act contains all the necessary protections "respecting academic freedom and competitiveness".

It was hoped by many that the application of FOI would be a prerequisite for additional funding. Nevertheless, we sincerely hope that all this talk will amount to action. Premier McGuinty should provide a time frame to bring swift passage of legislation that would make our Ontario universities "institutions" to which the Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act fully applies.