Commissioner Suzanne Legault

The State of Access to Information in Canada: Major Challenges for Reform

PLEASE RSVP: sppa.events@carleton.ca

Commissioner Suzanne Legault is speaking as part of Right To Know Week, which takes place from September 22 to 28. International Right To Know Day is celebrated each year in approximately 40 countries around the world on September 28. The Commissioner will speak about the major challenges for reforming Canada's information access laws. She will speak about the access regime and whether there are any things we can do to better take advantage of technology, and other instruments to improve access. She will also speak about why Canada has lagged so far behind other countries in access.

Suzanne Legault was appointed as Information Commissioner of Canada June 30, 2010. She was the Interim Information Commissioner for the previous year. From June 18, 2007 until June 30, 2009, Ms. Legault was Assistant Commissioner for the Office of the Information Commissioner of Canada, responsible for the Policy, Communications and Operations Branch.

In 2006, she participated in the Federal Public Servant in Residence Program and worked with Dr. David Zussman, Jarislowsky Chair in Public Sector Management at the University of Ottawa.

Ms. Legault began her career in the Public Service in 1996 at the Competition Bureau, where she held increasingly senior positions, including Special Advisor to the Commissioner of Competition.

She then served as Legal Counsel with the Department of Justice, before returning to the Competition Bureau where she was Assistant Deputy Commissioner, Legislative Affairs, then Deputy Commissioner, Legislative and Parliamentary Affairs.

Prior to joining the Public Service, Ms. Legault practised law as a criminal defence lawyer from 1991 to 1996, as well as Crown prosecutor from 1994 to 1996. Ms. Legault holds a Bachelor of Civil Law and a Bachelor of Common Law from McGill Law School, which she obtained in 1988.