Tuesday’s video is available at parcnl.ca.
Your humble e-scribbler is Number 2 on June 25.
At the front end of the Number 1 video is Vaughn Hammond of the Canadian Federation of Independent Business. he made some really solid comments about a problem some of his members have been running into since Bill 29. They used to rely on access to information in order to get information to bid on tenders. In a competitive industry, such as some of the suppliers Hammond represents, disclosing information helps get a better price for taxpayers.
Well, used to help get a better price. Now they can’t find out anything thanks to the way the government officials interpret the sections of the revised legislation that cover information that may harm a businesses competitive position. Hammond said that his members would prefer more information because it levelled the playing field. And if everyone is equally open about their bids and pricing, then that’s the world they’d live with if it promoted competition.
The second guy at Number 1 is Simon Lono. He had a bit of rough ride at the front end of the presentation later got a chance to share some of his direct experience working with the access law as a political staffer. It’s all good as the commissioners seem to like poking a probing as much for reaction as anything else. The whole process is fascinating to watch and it’s even more interesting to take part in.
Coming this morning is the Telegram’s James McLeod. He’s posted his submission at his Telly blog. The NDP’s Gerry Rogers is up next and batting clean-up is Sean Murray from the Access commissioner’s office. Since everyone so far has been recommending a strengthened role for the commissioner, the end of this first set of three days of hearings should be worth the cash.
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