Ontario’s freedom of information
A discussion on Freedom of Information and the Ontario Government
Transparency International Canada is raising concerns following Friday’s (March 13, 2026) announcement that the Ontario government will introduce legislation to retroactively exclude records of the premier, cabinet ministers, parliamentary assistants, and their offices from the Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act (FIPPA).
Access to information laws are a cornerstone of democratic accountability. They allow citizens, journalists, and civil society organizations to scrutinize government decisions, ensure responsible stewardship of public resources, and expose wrongdoing when it occurs.
Research across the global Transparency International movement consistently shows that when governments restrict access to information, it becomes easier to conceal abuses of power and more difficult for citizens to hold decision-makers accountable.
To explore the implications of this and what it could mean for accountability and transparency in Ontario, we invite you to join a virtual discussion.
Speakers
Sabrina Nanji
Sabrina Nanji is a journalist covering Ontario politics from the press gallery at Queen’s Park, where she's reported for more than a decade. She writes Queen’s Park Observer, the most read newsletter at the Legislature, covering the people, policies, and power dynamics shaping provincial politics. Known for sharp insider analysis and scoops, her reporting draws on deep sources inside the government and political backrooms where decisions are really made.
Tom Cardoso
Tom Cardoso is an award-winning journalist who has written on everything from federal lobbying practices to UFOs. A Brazilian based out of Toronto, he is a member of The Globe’s investigations team. Tom has an unorthodox background for a reporter, having started out as a graphics and data editor; because of this, his stories occasionally involve complex data analysis. He is also an avowed filer of freedom of information requests.
His most recent project was “Secret Canada,” an 18-month examination of Canada’s broken freedom of information regime.
For more info check out the Globe and Mail
Kashif Ali
Kashif Ali is a policy analyst and governance expert. He is currently working as Executive Director at Transparency International Pakistan to promote Effective and Accountable Climate Governance in Pakistan. His work is largely focused on governance reforms with particular focus on improving public financial management systems. Prior to that, Kashif was a recipient of prestigious DAAD Scholar award for Public Policy & Governance.
Pepe Garcia
Pepe Garcia is the Regional Coordinator for Country Support, Americas for the Open Government Partnership (OGP). Since 2019, Pepe has been providing guidance and assistance to civil society organizations and governments in North America, Central America, and the Caribbean, supporting the development and implementation of open government reforms. Before joining OGP, he spent nearly a decade promoting transparency and openness in Mexico: first at the local level in the Government of the State of Oaxaca, and later at the National Institute for Transparency, Access to Information, and Protection of Personal Data (INAI), where he designed and implemented reforms, policies, and projects related to transparency, access to information, open data, civic technology, accountability, anti-corruption, and citizen participation.
Tamir Israel
Tamir (he/him) is Director of the Privacy, Surveillance and Technology Program at the Canadian Civil Liberties Association (CCLA), where his work focuses on privacy, law enforcement and national security surveillance, cybercrime, cross-border data sharing and the detrimental impacts of artificial intelligence and other emerging technologies. Tamir is on the advisory board of OpenMedia and is a consultant with Human Rights Watch.