Truth commission goes to court to get government documents

CANADA
Toronto Star

Colin Perkel
The Canadian Press

Years of mounting frustration over access to government records has prompted the commission of inquiry into Canada’s residential school system to turn to the courts for help, The Canadian Press has learned.

In court filings, the Truth and Reconciliation Commission accuses Ottawa of stymying requests for documents the inquiry says are vital to its core mandate: “delivery on truth, reconciliation and ultimately healing.”

Documents filed with the Ontario Superior Court of Justice show the commission worries that Ottawa’s alleged intransigence will make it impossible to complete its work as required by July 1, 2014 and within budget.

“If the parties, through incompetence, delays or deliberate stonewalling (or a combination thereof) sabotage the work of the commission, then Canadians are certain to forget (and never fully learn) what has happened,” the commission’s factum states.

Note: This is an Abuse Tracker excerpt. Click the title to view the full text of the original article. If the original article is no longer available, see our News Archive.