Right to Know Forum in Nova Scotia

Darce Fardy, former Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Review Officer for Nova Scotia has passed tihs announcement on to me:

RIGHT TO KNOW FORUM

University of Kings College (Alumni Hall)

September 27, 2006 6:30 - 9 pm

The Right to Know Coalition of Nova Scotia, with the support of the FOIPOP Review Office, is observing National Right to Know Week with a forum where issues related to the principles of openness and accountability in government and other public bodies will be discussed and debated.

Keynote speaker: Wayne MacKay, former Nova Scotia Human Rights Commissioner and President of Mount Allison University, now Professor of Law with Dalhousie Law School. Inducted into the Order of Canada in 2005.

Panel #1: A political look at the issues of openness and accountability and the Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act. The four political parties: Michel Samson, interim leader of the Liberal party; Nick Wright, leader of the Green Party; Paul Black, Senior Researcher with the NDP Caucus; and an as yet unnamed MLA from the Progressive Conservative Party. Moderated by Darce Fardy of the RTK Coalition and former Review Officer for FOIPOP.

Panel #2: Neal Livingston, a documentary producer from Cape Breton and veteran user of the FOIPOP Act; Doug Keefe, Deputy Minister of Justice; Charles Cirtwill, Vice-President and Director of Operations of the Atlantic Institute for Market Studies; and Richard Cotter, Warden of Richmond County and President of the Union of Nova Scotia Municipalities will provide their views on transparency in public bodies. Moderator: Dean Jobb, of the Faculty of Journalism at Kings, former newspaper journalist and recognized expert in access to information legislation.

The audience will be encouraged to get involved with questions or comments. All are welcome. September 27, Kings= Alumni Hall, 630 to 9 pm