We were also invited to the ICIC Oslo conference, but are not attending. I'm not sure it would be correct to say that the Oslo meeting was not sufficiently open to civil society. It may not have been obvious to the orgaisers how to identify all the individual NGOs who might have an interest but I assume they would welcome any NGO that wanted and could afford to come.
I'm not particularly in favour of demanding a place on the platform for NGOs. This is an event for Commissioners and they should be able to set their own agenda. There is of course an important role for the requester perspective, but NGOs are not the sole representatives of requesters. There are also journalists (one of whom is speaking at the Oslo event) and academics (eg Al Roberts, who very effectively identified key requester issues in his address to the New Zealand ICIC). In any event, none of them/us should claim to have a right to be on the platform or have our issues on the programme. By all means, encourage them to contact the NGO community when planning future events, for programme suggestions, but I'm not in favour of trying to force ourselves on them. I've just now seen Richard Calland's comments and am in complete agreement. Maurice Maurice Frankel Director, Campaign for Freedom of Information Suite 102, 16 Baldwins Gardens London EC1N 7RJ, UK Tel: (020) 7831 7477 Fax: (020) 7831 7461 www.cfoi.org.uk On 23 Sep 2009, at 14:06, Katherine Gundersen wrote: > > > Begin forwarded message: > >> From: Toby Mendel <a19law at hfx.eastlink.ca> >> Date: 23 September 2009 13:08:07 BST >> To: Access Info <info at access-info.org> >> Cc: foianet at foiadvocates.info >> Subject: Re: [foianet] Information Commisioners meeting in Oslo >> 27-30September >> >> Hi Helen, >> >> I support this idea (as you know :) >> >> I am not sure that FOIAnet has spoken in its own name before or how >> this would work (eg would all members need to agree?) An >> alternative would be to distribute a letter for sign-on, although >> that might seem a bit confrontational. Either way, I think this is >> a good idea. >> >> I think we should specifically ask, in addition to more and better >> (including more timely) communication prior to these meetings, for >> a specific agenda item at these meetings to discuss issues of >> mutual concern, a sort of exchange of views. There have often been >> civil society representatives speaking on panels at these meetings, >> but not a session devoted to this, as far as I am aware. >> >> Re. your last point, I think it would be enough to indicate that >> they are free to join the discussion list and to offer our services >> as a tool for helping with the enhanced communication we are asking >> for. >> >> Toby >> >> On 23 Sep 2009, at 07:49, Access Info wrote: >> >>> Dear All >>> >>> Thanks all for the responses about the ICIC (on the list and >>> direct to me). >>> >>> Some people have told me that they are very concerned that this >>> meeting was not more open to civil society. I therefore propose >>> that on behalf of the members of FOIAnet we communicate to the >>> Information Commissioners our concern that it would have been good >>> for this meeting to be more open and not limited to a few >>> international organisations. That would be consistent with >>> previous meetings where there was a more representative >>> participation. Of course, this is a meeting of Commissioners but >>> on the other hand, the civil society groups work closely with >>> Commissioners ? at the national level, on regional and global >>> campaigns, and through the exchanges on this list (a number of >>> commissioners are active on this list). It therefore seems >>> appropriate for there to be civil society participation in the >>> Commissioner?s meetings and that it be discussed with the FOIAnet >>> as a whole and open to a representative cross-section of civil >>> society. And even for those NGOs which can?t travel to the >>> meetings, having more information about them would be appreciated. >>> >>> The points in the letter could be: >>> - Urge Information Commissioners to consult with FOIAnet >>> (via the list and steering committee) on the upcoming meetings and >>> participation >>> - Allow time for civil society to raise funds to participate >>> (if the organising country has no funds for this) >>> - Have some agenda items about civil society work with ICs, >>> how to coordinate campaigns and joint actions, Right to Know Day, >>> etc >>> - Discuss information sharing (not all commissioners and >>> staff are on this discussion list ? do they all want to join this >>> list more en masse and/or have their own list?) >>> >>> Let me know what you think. >>> >>> Best, Helen >>> >>> From: foianet-bounces at foiadvocates.info [mailto:foianet-bounces at >>> foiadvocates.info >>> ] On Behalf Of Andrea Figari >>> Sent: 22 September 2009 10:51 >>> To: foianet at foiadvocates.info >>> Subject: Re: [foianet] Information Commisioners meeting in Oslo >>> 27-30September >>> >>> Hi, Helen! >>> TI received the invitation as well, but as Sandy said, we did not >>> think it was appealing enough to us to make the necessary >>> commitments to go. It?s great that you and Yvonne will be there, >>> we look forward to tweets and other updates. >>> Andrea >>> From: foianet-bounces at foiadvocates.info [mailto:foianet-bounces at >>> foiadvocates.info >>> ] On Behalf Of Sandra Coliver >>> Sent: Montag, 21. September 2009 23:12 >>> To: Helen Darbishire; foianet at foiadvocates.info >>> Subject: Re: [foianet] Information Commisioners meeting in Oslo >>> 27-30September >>> >>> Hi Helen, >>> Yes, we here at OSJI received an invitation to the Info >>> Commissioners mtg. This year, given low participation of civil >>> society activists, the agenda didn?t look as interesting to me as >>> in past years ? I don?t believe that anyone from OSI will attend. >>> However, the agenda does look well suited to address issues of >>> concern to Info Commissioners, and I am sure will be worthwhile. I >>> see that Yvette Chin of freedominfo.org will be twittering from >>> the meeting. It is great that the two of you will be there to keep >>> the rest of us informed. >>> Thx! Sandy >>> From: foianet-bounces at foiadvocates.info [mailto:foianet-bounces at >>> foiadvocates.info >>> ] On Behalf Of Helen Darbishire >>> Sent: Monday, September 21, 2009 6:00 AM >>> To: foianet at foiadvocates.info >>> Subject: [foianet] Information Commisioners meeting in Oslo 27-30 >>> September >>> >>> Dear FOIAnet >>> >>> I am sending you some information about the meeting of Information >>> Commissioners to take place in Oslo next week. It seems that this >>> information did not reach many FOI groups before. You can read >>> about the event here http://www.icic2009.no/ >>> >>> I spoke to the organisers a couple of weeks ago. They told me that >>> they had not had funds to invite more participants (a request to >>> the parliament resulted in less money than asked for) and that >>> representatives of the following organisations had been invited >>> but that they would have to pay their own way (including >>> conference registration fee of ?636!!). The invite to Access Info >>> came to our general mail box so I am wondering now if others >>> received their invitations? >>> >>> Privacy International >>> Transparency International >>> Carter Institute >>> Access Info Europe >>> Campaign for FOI (UK) >>> Open Society Institute >>> Open Society Justice Initiative >>> National Security Archive (USA) >>> Commonwealth Human Rights Initiative >>> >>> In any case, in spite of the cost, I have decided to participate >>> and I will send updates from it. >>> >>> Best, Helen >>> >>> _________________________ >>> Helen Darbishire >>> Executive Director >>> Access Info Europe >>> www.access-info.org >>> mobile tel: + 34 667 685 319 >>> e-mail: helen at access-info.org >>> or: helen.darbishire at gmail.com >>> Skype: helen_darbishire >>> >>> Transparency International is the global civil society >>> organisation leading the fight against corruption. >>> www.transparency.org >>> This email is confidential and intended for the addressee only. If >>> you are not the intended recipient, any use, disclosure, >>> distribution, printing or copying of this email is unauthorised. >>> If you have received this email in error, please immediately >>> notify the sender by replying to the email, then delete all copies >>> from your computer. This email and its attachments have been swept >>> for computer viruses but Transparency International accepts no >>> responsibility whatsoever for damage caused by viruses in >>> connection with this email. Transparency International may monitor >>> all emails and attachments as it is presumed that they are sent or >>> received in connection with the activities of TI and to ensure the >>> integrity of its computer systems. Statements and opinions >>> contained in this email are those of the sender, not necessarily >>> of Transparency International. >> >> >> Toby Mendel >> Senior Legal Counsel >> ARTICLE 19 >> >> a19law at hfx.eastlink.ca >> tel: +1 902 431-3688 >> fax: +1 902 431-3689 >> >> web: www.article19.org >> >> >> >> >> >> > -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: <http://lists.foiadvocates.info/private.cgi/foianet-foiadvocates.info/attachments/20090923/2d60026f/attachment-0001.htm>
