The department told Postmedia it doesn’t know when it will release the documents or how much of their contents will be censored. The access law allows any individual to file a request for federal records in exchange for a $5 fee. Procurement Canada bureaucrats also provided the journalist’s private information to Irving officials. Qualtrough has defended the practice of federal officials and how they cooperate with companies regarding journalists who ask the government questions about defence contracts. Like Procurement Canada, the department would not provide any numbers on how many times it has shared information about journalists and their questions with the Irvings.

Source: National Post June 04, 2019 20:45 UTC