JUST HOW LONG DOES IT TAKE FOR OUR FEDERAL GOVERNMENT TO ACT “AS QUICKLY AS POSSIBLE”?
“Justice. Meet Injustice.” from March 2nd included a letter to Justice Minister Sean Fraser questioning the delay of more than a year in executing the provisions of the Miscarriage of Justice Review Commission Act (David and Joyce Milgaard’s Law).
In no time at all by Ottawa standards, a March 24 emailed response to that letter came from David Boucher, Manager, Ministerial Correspondence Unit at Justice. In it, Mr. Boucher wrote that, “The Government of Canada is working to implement the launch of the new, independent Miscarriage of Justice Review Commission as quickly as possible to make the review process easier and faster for potentially wrongly convicted people.” It went on to suggest it would be “helpful for you to know” that the existing remedies were still available in the meantime. Mr. Boucher didn’t share the status of the work to ‘implement the launch’ of the new Act. It’s doubtful Mr. Boucher knows.
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From the March 16th post, “Maplehurst – one of many hosts harbouring ‘Secret Ontario.’” answers to three freedom of information requests (FOI) were withheld. All involved the outcomes of two investigations into the December 22-23, 2023 ‘incident’ at the Maplehurst Correctional Complex. Ontario was protecting the information under FIPPA (Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act) legislation.
A February 11th letter went to Noel Kent at his North Bay office. He’s the senior manager of the FOI services for Ontario’s solicitor general.
REQUEST NUMBERS GRSG-2025-01263, 1264, 1265
I am in receipt of your January 23, 2026, letters responding to my three requests as numbered above.
The decision was anticipated, and there is no purpose in going to the IPC.**
The intent here was to get the decision, giving me an opportunity to comment as one citizen of Ontario to another. FIPPA is flawed, like so much legislation, but you must follow the law as it is. In this case, FIPPA allows the government to avoid embarrassment and shield wrongdoers from exposure or prosecution.
And this the government does. There are any number of examples to that point.
Most people don’t give a damn. That’s why the world is a mess.
Have a good day.
** Information and Privacy Commissioner/Ontario
That March 16 post also referenced a March 6th FOI asking ONLY for the number of institutional and criminal charges that were laid after the investigations of events at Maplehurst. The same result was expected, and in that case, the appeal option would be exercised. “Let our provincial government double-down on its right (power?) to support Secret Ontario.”
The request was rejected.
March 30, 2026
Information and Privacy Commissioner/Ontario,
Toronto, ON M4W 1A8
Dear Information and Privacy Commissioner:
This is an appeal of the Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Services’ decision to deny access to information in my request number GRSG-2026-00307, in accordance with section 65(6) of the Act. I’ve enclosed a copy of FOI’s March 18 letter denying my request, a copy of my GRSG-2026-00307 request, plus a $25 cheque made out to the Minister of Finance.
I’m noting for your information as background that FOI also declined three earlier and related requests, all dated December 8, 2025. Namely, they are:
GRSG-2025-01263, “what records to you have that show the number of criminal/policy offences laid against Correctional Officers at Maplehurst Correctional Complex arising from the incident at the facility on or about December 22-23, 2023.
GRSG-2025-01264, “what records to you have that show the number of Correctional Officers at Maplehurst Correctional Complex who have been charged with criminal or policy offences arising from the incident at Maplehurst on or about December 22-23, 2023.
GRSG-2025-01265, “What records do you have that show the number of Correctional Officers who have been dismissed as a result of the December 22-23, 2023, incident at Maplehurst Correctional Complex.
I’ve also enclosed a copy of my February 11, 2026, letter to Senior Manager Noel Kent at the FOI office in North Bay commenting on the decision to decline these three requests.
To be clear, this appeal is for the decision on GRSG-2026-00307 only.
I did not appeal FOI’s earlier decision.
I do understand and accept that regulated privacy standards are necessary in today’s environment. I don’t accept that those regulations are used to protect wrongdoing in the civil service.
Solicitor General Michael Kerzner is making a habit of protecting public servants who have or may have committed illegal acts. Premier Doug Ford is going to extraordinary lengths to shield possible government malfeasance. I expect your response to my appeal will confirm this unfortunate trend to undermine democracy.
Yours truly.
The appeal was confirmed on April 24, and an analyst was assigned on June 2. A decision will take time.
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Remember earlier this year when four provincial premiers asked Ottawa for provincial collaboration in the process of selecting provincial court judges, currently a federal government preserve?
March 27, 2026
The Honourable Doug Ford, Premier of OntarioThe Honourable François Legault, Premier of QuébecThe Honourable Scott Moe, Premier of Saskatchewan
The Honourable Danielle Smith, Premier of Alberta
Dear Honourable Premiers:
So, you want to have a hand in the selection of Provincial Court judges.
What we have works pretty well. Slow, perhaps, but a respectable process.
You know the saying, “If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it.”
What you suggest challenges the public perception of judicial impartiality. Why would you want to do that? You have an agenda, maybe?
Relieve us of our suspicions. Drop it.
cc The Honourable Sean Fraser, Minister of Justice, Ottawa
An answer came from just one province. Stephani Fuchs, Ministerial Assistant to Saskatchewan Minister of Justice Tim McLeod, offered a detailed case in an April 8 letter. She argued that the request was “not about political influence over judicial decisions, partisan appointments or reshaping Canada’s judiciary to resemble foreign systems.” It’s to make the process of selecting judges more effective, transparent and part of a collaborative process between the federal and provincial governments. The current process “does not give provincial governments an equal voice in appointing justices.”
Near the end of her letter, Ms. Fuchs writes, “Collaboration between the federal government and the provinces to improve the current appointment process will benefit all Canadians by ensuring the judiciary reflects the community it serves.” Sorry, but that is political and partisan. Courts service the law, benefiting communities by objectively applying the law with well-reasoned judgements, offering order, fairness, and resolution.
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LATE NEWS:
On Thursday, June 11, CSC Commissioner Talal Dakalbab ‘officially’ rejected the proposed budget cut that would eliminate federal librarian positions. This came to us in an announcement from Executive Director Tom Best, Book Clubs for Inmates.
BCFI thanked “a remarkable community of writers who set aside their own work to write compelling and heartfelt articles about this misguided decision. Their voices helped galvanize public attention, sparked important conversations, and inspired so many Canadians to take interest and action.”
Agreed. This is good news.
An inmate called to caution, “Remember, this is not for us. It’s for you.”
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