Annual Report: 2004-2005

During the 2003-04 fiscal year, new government institutions became subject to the Access to Information Act while others, which had been abolished, were struck out. The following amendments were made to Schedules I and II of the Act.

Subsection 18(7) of the Government public Bill C-9, An Act to establish the Economic Development Agency of Canada for the Regions of Quebec, proposes to amend Schedule I by providing that a reference to the former agency in that schedule is deemed a reference to the new agency, that is, the Economic Development Agency of Canada for the Regions of Quebec. (2004, Bill C-9, subsection 18(7); read and referred to Committee; reported on February 24, 2005)

The Government public Bill C-22, An Act to establish the Department of Social Development and to amend and repeal certain related Acts, proposes amendments to Schedules I and II to the Act.

• Section 42 would amend Schedule I by adding, under the heading "Departments and Ministries of State" the "Department of Social Development/Ministère du Développement social".

• Section 43 and 44 would respectively amend Schedule II by replacing the reference to section 104, opposite the Canada Pension Plan, with a reference to subsection 104.01(1), and the reference to section 33 opposite the Old Age Security Act with a reference to subsection 33.01(1).

(2004, Bill C-22, sections 42 to 44; read and referred to Committee; reported on February 22, 2005)

The Government public Bill C-23, An Act to establish the Department of Human Resources and Skills Development and to amend and repeal certain related Acts, proposes to amend Schedules I and II to the Act.

• Section 58 would amend Schedule I by striking out the following under the heading "Departments and Ministries of State": "Department of Human Resources Development/Ministère du Développement des resources humaines".

• Section 59 would amend Schedule I by adding the following in alphabetical order under the heading "Departments and Ministries of State": "Department of Human Resources and Skills Development/Ministère des Ressources humaines et du Développement des competences".

• Section 60 would amend Schedule I by striking out the following under the heading "Other Government Institutions": "Department of Human Resources and Skills Development/Ministère des Ressources humaines et du Développement des compétences".

• Section 61 would amend Schedule II by striking out the reference to "Department of Human Resources Development Act/Loi sur le Ministère du Développement des resources humaines" and the corresponding reference to section 33.5.

(2004, Bill C-23, sections 58 to 61; debated at Third Reading March 23, 2005)

The Government public Bill C-31, An Act to establish the Department of International Trade and to make related amendments to certain Acts, proposes to amend Schedule I to the Act:

• Section 11 would amend Schedule I by striking out, under the heading "Departments and Ministries of State": the "Department of Foreign Affairs and International Trade/Ministère des Affaires étrangères et du Commerce international".

• Section 12 would amend Schedule I by adding, under the heading "Departments and Ministries of State": the "Department of International Trade/Ministère du Commerce international".

• Section 13 would amend Schedule I by striking out, under the heading "Other Government Institutions": the "Department of International Trade/Ministère du Commerce international".

(2004, Bill C-31, sections 11 to 13; debated at Second Reading on February 7, 9, and 10, 2005)

The Government public Bill C-32, An Act to amend the Department of Foreign Affairs and International Trade and to make consequential amendments to other Acts, proposes to amend Schedule I to the Act by adding, under the heading "Departments and Ministries of State": the "Department of Foreign Affairs/Ministère des Affaires étrangères". (2004, Bill C-32, section 10; debated at Second Reading on February 10, 11 and 14, 2005)

On February 17, 2005, the President of the Treasury Board tabled a report in Parliament announcing that the Access to Information Act ought to be amended by including by order in council ten Crown corporations currently outside the provisions of the Act: Canada Development Investment Corporation; Canadian Race Relations Foundation; Cape Breton Development Corporation; Cape Breton Growth Fund Corporation; Enterprise Cape Breton Corporation; Marine Atlantic Inc.; Old Port of Montreal; Parc Downsview Park Inc.; Queens Quay West Land Corporation; and Ridley Terminal Inc.

As of March 31, 2005, no order in council had yet been taken to this end.