N.S. Finance Department chided for sitting on access-to-information package for 9 months

CBC

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Nova Scotia's privacy commissioner is calling out the province's Finance Department after officials have sat on an access-to-information disclosure package for nine months.
In a report released Friday and dated Aug. 12, David Nurse said the matter relates to a years-old information request for details about the Nova Scotia government's wine policy.
Nurse writes that the lengthy delay in the case "is not defensible."
His report found that after multiple delays, a review of records was completed by department officials and sent for approval on Nov. 8, 2024, with a response requested by Nov. 12, 2024.
Customarily, it's the deputy minister of a department that signs off on the release of an information package. Kelliann Dean is the deputy minister for the Department of Finance and Treasury Board.
"At present, final approval is still pending for the request," Nurse writes.
He goes on to recommend that the department release the records to the applicant within 14 days.
A spokesperson for the Finance Department said in a statement that the government respects the decision by Nurse and is "working hard" to release the information within the stated deadline.
In his report, Nurse noted that he has no authority to do anything more than make a recommendation to government.
'They don't like oversight,' says Liberal leader
Premier Tim Houston promised in opposition to change that, and give the privacy commissioner order-making power. He made a similar pledge after first becoming premier in 2021, but has since indicated he has no intention of keeping the promise.
Liberal MLA Iain Rankin said the situation is not surprising, given the Progressive Conservative government's track record.
"I think it's fair to say that they don't like oversight or accountability and this is just another example of trying to hide information from the public," he said.
Rankin pointed to other instances, such as the government's long delay in releasing a report on transportation options for the central region of the province. The government has also so far refused to release a report from an independent panel on environmental racism.
Earlier this year, the PCs backed away from legislation that would have weakened the powers of the province's auditor general and then made changes to legislation that would have allowed some access-to-information requests to be ignored.
Review of act still ongoing
NDP Leader Claudia Chender said that no one was a bigger champion for a better access-to-information system than Houston while he was in opposition.
"He changed his mind when he got to office," she said.
"It's one of the many places in which Tim Houston said one thing when he was campaigning and has done quite a different one as premier."
Former Liberal premier Stephen McNeil also promised while in opposition to give the privacy commissioner order-making power, only to break that promise after forming government.
When Rankin was premier, his government ordered a review of the Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act, but that work was not completed before the Progressive Conservatives won the 2021 election.