Your accountability card has been declined

Rob Antle — who may by now be classed as a traitor, a jerk, or even both — reports today:

The provincial government expects professional and legal fees linked to the expropriation of AbitibiBowater's rights and properties in central Newfoundland to total more than $8 million for the just-ending fiscal year.

...

The Department of Natural Resources declined to provide a breakdown of who got the $8-plus-million in cash, indicating The Telegram would have to file a formal request under the province's access to information laws.

You see, as this corner has repeatedly noted before, the thing is, there is no obligation on anyone to fill out a form and shell out five bucks every single time they want mere information from the government. As the Department of Justice hilariously but ever-so-helpfully advises you:

The ATIPPA is not meant to replace existing means of obtaining information. Before you make a request using the legislation, you may wish to try other, informal means to obtain the records you are seeking. Contact the public body which you believe has the records. Often, you can get the information you want in this informal way, without using the legislation. This route will often be faster for you and less expensive for public bodies to administer.

And goodness knows, these days, Danny Williams-Government is oh-so-very concerned about the costs of handling formal Access to Information requests.

The Minister of Natural Resources, whoever that is, should perhaps get in touch with Justice Minister Felix Collins, to clarify the government’s policy with regards to those informal methods of obtaining information.

Minister Collins can be reached by email at felixcollins@gov.nl.ca