MLA Amelia Boultbee presses for immediate release of FOI documents related to tobacco and cigarette purchases within the Ministry of Children and Family Development
SUMMERLAND, BC: Amelia Boultbee, MLA for Penticton-Summerland and Critic for Children and Family Development, is calling on the province to release records related to cigarette and tobacco product purchases within the Ministry of Children and Family Development.
“I recognize that tobacco can be used in some indigenous cultural ceremonies. But the ministry is going to extreme lengths to conceal information about where taxpayer funds are going, and they mustn’t ever forget that British Columbians have the right to know how their money is being spent.”
Jodie Wickens’ ministry has imposed a fee of $1,110 upon the freedom of information applicants, the Canadian Taxpayers Federation. The ministry is saying it would take 40 staff hours to locate and retrieve any relevant receipts. The fee was revised to $555 upon appeal.
“Any receipts and/or records related to cigarette and tobacco purchases within the children’s ministry should be released immediately, and without cost to the applicants. Spending of this nature is clearly a matter of significant public interest,” said Boultbee.
“The idea that it would take 40 staff hours to compile receipts regarding cigarette and tobacco purchases within the ministry of children and families is dubious.”
“In 2022, the Canadian Association of Journalists handed the BC NDP government the ‘award’ for Outstanding Achievement in Government Secrecy. It appears that the government has no intention of changing its secretive, stonewalling ways,” said Boultbee.
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