Access to Information Act

Evan Light is an associate professor of policy studies at the University of Toronto Faculty of Information.

His research on the use of cell phone hacking tools by federal agencies in Canada led to a series of parliamentary committee hearings, changes to Treasury Board policies on privacy-invasive technologies, and proposed changes to the Privacy Act and to the Access to Information Act.

He is also engaged in collaborative research on facial recognition and emerging forms of biometrics and technology regulation.

Evan is also a senior fellow at the Center for Free Expression.

We've got such a huge collection, but our historians are upset because they can't access it.

Well, and that, of course, does relate to the Access to Information Act, because before the act, uh, we actually had, uh, da- uh, a directive from cabinet from 1973 that directed that government records would be transferred to the national archives after 30 years, and that they would be open by default.

Yes.

And when we created the Access to Information Act, uh, that began to limit the access.

And so-

So by default, it's closed.

If we're going to remain a real country with a serious claim to valuing our culture and history, we need to do better.

Library and Archives Canada serves more often as a hindrance than a help." Now, these are some of Canada's top historians saying this.

I just made an assumption and I was wrong and I'm willing to admit my mistake before you right now.

The letter sent to the Abbotsford Police Department and signed Lawrence Gang from India was released through the Access to Information Act request for exhibits from an immigration and refugee board hearing for a Bishnoi associate who was deported in July.

Now let's read the letter.

The letter is the most interesting part.

You will see we will take over Canada soon." The letter's existence first came to light earlier this year during a deportation hearing for an accused Bishnoi foot soldier, but the full text has not been made public until now.

The letter was released to CBC News after an Access to Information Act request.

It was included in an ongoing investigation into an Edmonton-based Bishnoi cell tied to multiple shootings, arsons, and extortions.

Quote, "We have more than five thousand gang members in Canada," says the letter, which is from the Lawrence Gang.