Despite privacy czar ruling, Halifax won't release more info about bonuses

[Keith P.]

https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/nova-...yees-1.5324847

Halifax has decided not to comply with a recommendation made by Nova Scotia's information and privacy commissioner to release information on bonuses given to the city's non-union employees between 2010 and 2015.

Colin May, a resident of Dartmouth, asked in 2016 for a list of people in the planning department who received bonuses. He appealed to the information commissioner when Halifax Regional Municipality decided only to provide him with a list of the bonus amounts. Catherine Tully's review, which was released in August, sided with May.

But the municipality maintains providing the names and amounts would be an "unreasonable invasion of privacy."

May's only option now would be to appeal to the Supreme Court of Nova Scotia, which he does not plan to do.

"I'm not going to waste money on a lawyer," said May. "It's quite pathetic. There's no information why they won't release the information."

This is simply astoundingly arrogant and tone-deaf. In spirit if not in law, the accountability legislation passed by the Province several years ago would result in any sensible govt or agency releasing such information. But not HRM who see themselves as their own city-state. The province should step in and ensure this happens. Kudos to Colin for trying to get HRM to do the right thing, although it should not be surprising that they fought it every step of the way.

Time to throw the bums out.