The Ontario government has withdrawn proposed legislation that would have required designated public bodies to give reasonable notice of their meetings to the public and ensure that the meetings are open to the public. Trent President Bonnie Patterson inadvertently spilled the beans that the Council of Ontario Universities (COU) was lobbying MPP Caroline Di Cocco to exclude universities from the scope of the her private members' Bill 123, 2004 (Transparency In Public Matters Act). Despite the analysis of the Ontario Information and Privacy Commission (IPC) that the scope of institutions subject to the bill was too narrow, Di Cocco acquiesced to pressure from the powerful COU and put forward amendments to exempt universities. The order for the bill's third reading was discharged and the Bill 123, 2004 was withdrawn by Order of the House dated April 18, 2006, some 13 days after Di Cocco was appointed Minister of Culture.

Di Cocco's office has said it is standard practice for private member's bills to be withdrawn when a member is appointed to cabinet. Unfortunately there are no official plans to resurrect the bill.

We are unable to resurrect the bill, however, I have been recommending that interested parties contact MPP Kim Craitor. Mr. Craitor was a huge supporter of the bill and may have an interest in picking up where we left off.  He can be reached by email at: kcraitor.mpp@liberal.ola.org.

We at OurTrent were pleased to learn that MPP Craitor intends to introduce an improved version of the Transparency In Public Matters Act. At risk of giving advanced notice to the COU to start pressuring Craitor like they did Di Cocco, we understand that Craitor's version of the Act would address the expressed concerns of IPC. Craitor intends to put universities back on the list of institutions subject to the Act in addition to other institutions that receive public money but did not appear in the last incarnation of the Act.

Individuals are encouraged to contact MPP Craitor to voice their support for the inclusion of universities in his improved Transparency In Public Matters Act.

Hopefully Craitor will have the character strength to resist the the pressure expected from the COU lobby.

References:

• Transparency in Public Matters Act (Bill 123, 2004)Withdrawn by Liberal government
  Votes and Proceedings: 38 Parliament, Session 2, April 18, 2006
• Kim Craitor - MPP Niagara Falls - Liberal Party of Ontario
  Contact Information
• I'm Sorry, this Meeting is Closed to the Public: Why We Need Comprehensive Open Meetings Legislation in Canada
  IPC analysis of Bill 123, 2004
• COU Lobbied For Exclusion From Transparency Act says Queen's Principal
  December 8, 2005
• Bill Would Curb Secrecy - But Not In Ontario Universities!
  November 24, 2005
• Universities get exemption from proposed Transparency Act
  October 20, 2005
• Trent President Promotes Persistent Secrecy? Why?
  October 5, 2005
  

Transparency in Public Matters Act (Bill 123, 2004) Withdrawn by Liberal government Votes and Proceedings: 38 Parliament, Session 2, April 18, 2006 (emphasis added)