After FOI requests exposed tens of thousands spent on government gift cards, the NDP's response is to make FOI harder so news of similar programs don’t get out
Conservative Interim Leader of the Official Opposition and Critic for Citizen Services and Caucus Chair Jody Toor, are calling on the Eby NDP government to withdraw Bill 9, the Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Amendment Act, 2026,warning it will further erode transparency and make it easier for government to hide information from the public. "Bill 9 is out of touch and unaccountable," said Halford. "After Freedom of Information requests exposed tens of thousands spent on government gift cards, the NDP's response isn't to cancel the gift-card giveaway but to make FOI harder so similar programs don’t get out, that tells you everything about this government's priorities." Bill 9 would expand the grounds government can use to ask the Office of the Information and Privacy Commissioner (OIPC) to dismiss requests and would add new fees for records that should be proactively disclosed. Halford said Bill 9 fits a growing pattern of the Eby NDP ...