On July 15 and 16, as well as August 1, 2024, I filed three access to information requests with the municipality of North Hatley. No response was received within the legal deadline of 30 days. Administrative silence. I therefore had to refer the matter to the Commission d’accès à l’information (CAI), as provided for by law.
Reference: North Hatley will have to defend itself before the Access to Information Commission (Radio-Canada)
What happened next? A perfect demonstration of administrative exhaustion:
- Three hearings scheduled by the CAI;
- The municipality shows up with a lawyer paid for by taxpayers;
- Hearing postponed at the last minute (48 hours before), without valid reason;
- Obligation to hire a lawyer myself: $1,000 already out of my pocket just to enforce a right provided for by law.
15 months later, still nothing!
Fifteen months later, I still haven’t received the requested documents. Instead, I’ve received a list of excuses: the town hall moved… the archives can’t be found… the fire in 1975… In short, anything but answers.
I have now been told that I may receive a response on November 17, 2025, nearly a year and a half after my request. And if this response is incomplete, a new hearing will be held in January 2026, this time before a judge, with three hours allocated per case. The estimated cost of defending myself: $4,000 to $6,000. All to obtain… public documents!
Meanwhile, who pays?
| Part of the audience | Who pays? |
|---|---|
| Municipal attorney | Taxpayers (including me) |
| Municipal manager | Taxpayers (including me) |
| Manager at the CAI | Taxpayers (including me) |
| My attorney | Me |
| My working hours | Me |
Conclusion?
The right to access information exists… but only for those who have the money, time, and energy to fight for it. The rest give up. Is this really what municipal transparency looks like?
Transparency is a pillar of democracy—yet in North Hatley, it is conspicuous by its absence.
