All posts by Ariana Armstrong

Treasury Board president dismisses Access to Information warning from Information Commissioner

Access-to-information story
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Recently disclosed records show that Treasury Board President Tony Clement dismissed Information Commissioner Suzanne Legault’s warning that the elimination and amalgamation of federal institutions threatened the integrity of the Access to Information system.

In a letter to Clement, dated April 8, 2013, Legault wrote “It has recently come to my attention that, in some instances where a federal institution has been eliminated or amalgamated, there is an absence of measures, legislative or otherwise, to ensure the orderly transition of records and the integrity of existing access requests and complaints.”

“The absence of clear transitional measures has, in at least one instance, negatively impacted on the rights of requesters under the Act, including my ability to effectively investigate complaints,” Legault wrote.

Natalie Hall, a communications manager from the Office of the Information Commissioner of Canada, wrote in an email response that Legault’s letter was prompted by the closure of the International Centre for Human Rights and Democratic Development.

The closure occurred while the Office was conducting an investigation. Hall wrote that the Office learned “no measures had been taken to ensure the orderly transition of the centre’s records.”

As Canada’s Information Commissioner, Legault is responsible for investigating complaints from people who believe federal institutions have violated their rights under the Access to Information Act.  In her letter, Legault urged Clement to implement measures that protect information when institutions are eliminated or amalgamated.

The Office did not respond to requests for an explanation of the term “measures”.

Clement, who is responsible for ensuring the federal government’s record management system complies with the Act, responded to Legault’s letter.

In his response, which is not dated, Clement did not address Legault’s claim that the situation had negatively impacted requesters’ rights and her ability to investigate complaints.

Clement also did not address Legault’s demand for measures to preserve information from eliminated or amalgamated institutions.

Instead, Clement wrote “The Government of Canada continues to be committed to ensuring that Canadians can access information about their government’s activities and decisions in an open, comprehensive and timely manner including in times of transition such as those you raise in your letter.”

Clement cited existing legislation and policy designed to manage information when institutions are eliminated or amalgamated, including the Library and Archives Canada Act and Policy on Information Management.

Clement wrote that the Librarian and Archivist is responsible for the care and control of records when an institution is eliminated. He also wrote that when an institution is amalgamated, the new organization may dispose of records under the terms issued to the original institution by Library and Archives Canada.

The letter exchange between Legault and Clement was released under the Access to Information Act.

Kelly James, from Treasury Board’s media relations department, wrote in an email response that “Information of business and archival value from government institutions that are eliminated or amalgamated will continue to be available to Canadians.”

France Bouthillier, director of McGill University’s School of Information Studies, said Clement ignored the real issue.

Bouthillier said Legault’s concerns stem from poor application of existing laws and policies, not the lack of them.

“The government has this attitude that nothing is terrible, there’s no problems, it’s business as usual, when in fact applying the legislation and policies and measures is a big challenge.”

She said staffing cuts make it difficult to apply policies designed to protect information.

“It’s not clear whether the people who are supposed to make sure that the regulations are applied are still in place,” Bouthillier said.

Bouthillier said proper application of the Access to Information system becomes especially important when institutions are eliminated or amalgamated.

“As citizens we are absolutely entitled to be able to go back and see why these things are done.”

Description of Relevant Information

Requests

See page 15 of the document below for a list of government agencies that have been eliminated or amalgamated. 



Calls to City of Ottawa about animals prompt changes to park policies in Vanier

Database Assignment
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Changes to animal-use designations will make some parks in Vanier more dog-friendly.

The City of Ottawa will clarify its policies about animals in Vanier parks this spring in response to complaints. In some Vanier parks it is currently unclear whether or not dogs are allowed in the area, and the changes will specify the rules.

Rideau-Vanier, ward 12, was associated with 780 bylaw services calls regarding animals in 2013, more than any other ward in Ottawa according to City of Ottawa Open Data records.

Source: “311- Monthly Service Request Submissions” by Ken Osmun, City of Ottawa. Available at http://data.ottawa.ca/en/dataset/311-monthly-service-request-submissions. 

City Councillor Mathieu Fleury, who is responsible for ward 12, said most of the calls he receives about animals are related to interactions with dogs. Fleury said many of the callers ask whether or not dogs are allowed to be in Vanier parks.

The City of Ottawa’s Animal Care and Control bylaw specifies that dogs are not allowed in parks that have a sign indicating that dogs are prohibited in the area. But some parks in Vanier have no sign at all, which creates confusion among park users.

“Because they had no designation it was ambiguous,” Fleury said. “And now we’re clarifying that.”

The lack of designation has been an issue in recent years.

“In Vanier, since amalgamation, none of the parks were ever designated or re-designated for animal uses,” Fleury said. “I know that in the past that’s created a lot of conflict.”

Michele Witteveen, who lives in Vanier, said it’s difficult to find a park that she can let her two dogs run around in off-leash.

“There are quite a few that aren’t dog friendly,” Witteveen said. “It kind of sucks because they don’t get the energy out that they need to.”

Some residents let their dogs roam the parks off-leash anyway.

 

“Even in the places where you’re not supposed to have dogs I see a lot of people with their dogs off-leash,” Witteveen said.

Fleury said he recognizes that dog owners need to have a place to go with their dogs.

 

“A lot of the reality is that if you live in rural areas your animal has a lot of space, and it’s probably on your property,” Fleury said. “In the urban core, chances are you live in smaller unit sizes and you need more of the green space.”

Richelieu Park and Riverain Park will both become more dog-friendly as a result of the new designations. Fleury said he hopes the changes will minimize conflicts between dog owners and other members of the public who use Vanier parks. 

While Rideau-Vanier was associated with the greatest number of bylaw services calls regarding animals in 2013, calls about animals were fairly even across the city. The calls associated with Rideau-Vanier accounted for only 8% of the total.

Animals were one of the main reasons for calls to the City of Ottawa last year. The City of Ottawa received 9,441 calls regarding animals, which represents 24% of all bylaw services calls made in 2013.

Animals were the second most frequent cause for report after noise, but not all of the calls were complaints.

Ken Osmun, the author of the bylaw services calls data, wrote in an email response that some calls about animals “are related to pet licensing (dog and cat tags), information about exotic pet ownership and animals on municipal roads.”

Fleury said his office is responsive to calls about animals.

“We follow up, we look at what the policy is,” Fleury said.

Fleury said he holds public information sessions to ensure people know the rules.

“We’re not there to slam on fines, we’re there to inform and educate,” Fleury said.

Click here to see a list of Vanier parks that are currently designated for animal use.

Click here for more information on City of Ottawa animal policies.

Earning wings still a challenge for women and girls

Whatever-Happened-To? Assignment
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Over the last 25 years, the Royal Canadian Air Force has become a more inviting place for women. But while women represent a larger portion of the Air Force today than they did in 1989, they remain significantly underrepresented.

The latest statistics available show that women now comprise 19% of the Royal Canadian Air Force.

Twenty-five years ago, Maj. Deanna Brasseur made a major breakthrough. In June of 1989, she became one of Canada’s first two female CF-18 fighter pilots.

As a girl growing up in the 1950s and 1960s, Brasseur didn’t think flying was a career option.

“I remember going out to the end of the road and watching them flying all the time and thinking boys were really lucky they got to do that because if they let girls then I would want to do that,” she says. “And then it happened.”

But Brasseur faced rampant discrimination after her graduation from the CF-18 training program.

“It was always my wish that the guys wouldn’t have made it so difficult,” she says. “They were always willing to engage you in a discussion as to whether or not women should be flying fighters.”

Being the only woman wasn’t easy.

“You’re the only woman pilot on your squadron and you’ve got 15 to 16 other guys that don’t think you should be there,” Brasseur says.

Eventually attitudes started to shift.

“After a time, six months, eight months, a year, once you proved yourself capable and competent and were no longer a threat to their ego, then it was fine,” she says.

While the number of women in the Air Force has increased since Brasseur’s first days, chair for Women in Science and Engineering Catherine Mavriplis says gender inequality is still a problem.

“We don’t always get the same doors open to us that some guys will have open to them,” Mavriplis says.

Mavriplis says the number of women working in traditionally male fields, such as aviation, needs to be higher.

“A critical mass of 30% would change things drastically,” she says.

Underrepresentation also remains a problem for girls in the Royal Canadian Air Cadets, which aims to increase interest in aviation among youth between the ages of 12 and 19.

Tanya Brooks, a second lieutenant for 632 Phoenix Air Cadet Squadron in Orleans, says girls are often outnumbered by boys two to one.

Brooks says that when she joined the cadets in 2003, her squadron only had two spots designated for girls. The other dozen spots were designated for boys.

Overtime, Brooks says she saw a shift toward equality.

“In 2005 and 2006 they changed it so that there was no discrimination from male to female. You were given an amount of spots and you could fill it with whatever candidates you wanted,” Brooks says.

Brooks says the policy shift has had positive results.

“The retention of female cadets definitely increased,” she says. “We started seeing a lot more female cadets progressing all the way to the age of 18 and achieving some of the highest ranks they could achieve in the squadron.”

While there are still barriers for women in the field of aviation, Brooks and Brasseur are among the women who want to carve out a space for themselves.

And despite the challenges, Brasseur still has fond memories of being airborne.

“Once you leave the ground, everything that’s on the ground stays on the ground. All the problems, all the challenges, all the whatever. And when you’re in the air it’s just pure joy.”

For more information on Brasseur’s career as a fighter pilot, click here and here.

Documentation for WHT

Canadian fashion retailer faces $12.1 million net loss despite sales increase

Business Assignment
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Canadian fashion retailer Le Château experienced a net loss of $12.1 million during the first three quarters of 2013. The loss represents a 36.6% increase over the net loss experienced during the first three quarters of 2012.  

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 Le Château’s third quarter report attributed the loss to increases in general expenses and expenses related to promotional activity, selling, and administration. The report noted that the loss was also due to the increased use of stock as compensation for employees.

The company, which specializes in clothing, accessories, and footwear for women and men, has seen its net earnings decline steadily since 2009. Johnny Del Ciancio, Le Château’s vice-president of finance, acknowledged the downward trend.

“The loss is obviously concerning. Our goal is to reduce it. At the end of the day, you somewhat have to weather the storm,” Del Ciancio said.

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 Michael McIntyre, a professor of finance with Carleton University’s Sprott School of Business, also said the loss trend is worrisome.

“It’s not a good thing, they’re definitely struggling,” McIntyre said. “They’re not going to disappear soon, but they’re under threat.”

Despite the continuing net loss, the company experienced a 2% year-to-date sales increase during the third quarter of 2013 compared to the previous year. Le Château attributed this increase to improvements in product assortment, regional strengths, and the performance of its new-concept and top-performing stores. 

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McIntyre said the company will have to carve out a space for itself within today’s competitive retail market.

“They probably have to have a really good, hard look at reinventing themselves and figuring out: what is it they do well? What market niche do they really appeal to?” he said. “And if they find out that niche is shrinking or getting stolen then they have to reinvent themselves.”

The company experienced its largest third quarter sales increase in the footwear division. Third quarter year-to-date footwear sales rose 13.5% between 2012 and 2013.

“You search for where you’re winning and try to exploit that,” McIntyre said.

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Del Ciancio said the company is continuing to move forward.

“Obviously we want to get back to profitability and that is our target. We’ve made a lot of strategic changes in terms of product and our store concepts,” he said.

Del Ciancio said the changes began five years ago. The company broadened its target market from customers between the ages of 18 and 25 to customers between the ages of 25 and 45. It began to focus on value and quality rather than price-point and improved its footwear line to include leather products. The company also began selling its products online.

“I think a lot of the changes that we had to make are sort of behind us now, it’s now focusing on efficiency,” Del Ciancio said. “Increasing productivity in the stores, that’s our challenge right now.”

While the third quarter report stated that sales are generally higher in the fourth quarter due to the holiday season, it noted that total retail sales had decreased by 2.2% during the first five weeks of the 2013 fourth quarter compared to the previous year.

The company’s fourth quarter wraps up at the end of January, but results won’t be released until later in the year.

LeChateauThirdQuarter (Text)
To see the annotations in this document, click on the “Notes” tab. To see the full-size document and annotations, click here.