Information watchdog slams RCMP on access failures

The federal information commissioner is blasting Public Safety Minister Bill Blair and the RCMP for what she suggests is a complete disregard for transparency and accountability.

The assessment comes in a new report in which Caroline Maynard takes the Mounties to task for failing to address long-standing issues in the handling of access-to-information requests.

That includes a growing backlog of requests for information from Canadians, as well problems with handling such requests properly.

Maynard also criticizes Blair and the federal Liberal government for seemingly not taking the issue seriously and providing the necessary leadership to address the problem.

The report today is only the latest from the commissioner to chide federal departments for failing to uphold the Canadian public's right to government information.

The Liberals first promised during the 2015 federal election to strengthen Canada's access-to-information regime, but Maynard has said complaints about the system have been increasing.