Alberta’s Information and Privacy Commissioner Jill Clayton, who also serves as a governance working group member of the International Conference of Information Commissioners (ICIC), supports the following statement issued today by the ICIC:
The impact of coronavirus (COVID-19) brings unprecedented challenges for our society, both nationally and globally.
Public authorities must make significant decisions that affect public health, civil liberties and people’s prosperity.
The public’s right to access information about such decisions is vital.
As a global community, we recognise that resources may be diverted away from usual information rights work. Public organisations will rightly focus their resources on protecting public health, and we recognise our role in taking a pragmatic approach, for example around how quickly public bodies respond to requests.
But the importance of the right to access information remains.
Public bodies must also recognise the value of clear and transparent communication, and of good record-keeping, in what will be a much analysed period of history.
As an international network, the ICIC supports a flexible approach that takes into account the compelling public interest in the current health emergency, while safeguarding the values of the right to access information. We ask governments to support this vision.
We add our support and gratitude to those who are dedicated to tackling the current pandemic.
– Members of the ICIC Governance Working Group