Comments on: Peck report on leaked documents: Your system sucks http://www.francesbula.com/olympic-village/peck-report-on-leaked-documents-your-system-sucks/ Vancouver city life and politics Wed, 08 Feb 2012 23:31:58 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v= By: T W http://www.francesbula.com/olympic-village/peck-report-on-leaked-documents-your-system-sucks/comment-page-1/#comment-9003 T W Tue, 24 Mar 2009 21:40:26 +0000 http://www.francesbula.com/?p=1307#comment-9003 We would better served if there was not only a code of conduct for use of materials from in-camera meetings, but there was also a clear definition of the type of in-camera meetings that are held. Surely , not all those meetings are totally closed until Doomsday. As far as I can tell, staff used in-camera meetings as much to protect the taxpayers interests as to make life at City Hall that bit more opaque. We would better served if there was not only a code of conduct for use of materials from in-camera meetings, but there was also a clear definition of the type of in-camera meetings that are held. Surely , not all those meetings are totally closed until Doomsday.

As far as I can tell, staff used in-camera meetings as much to protect the taxpayers interests as to make life at City Hall that bit more opaque.

]]> By: blaffergassted http://www.francesbula.com/olympic-village/peck-report-on-leaked-documents-your-system-sucks/comment-page-1/#comment-8992 blaffergassted Tue, 24 Mar 2009 18:51:14 +0000 http://www.francesbula.com/?p=1307#comment-8992 It's too bad that Mr Peck is only looking at the problems in Vancouver. I'm (not) guessing that other cities have similar woes. It’s too bad that Mr Peck is only looking at the problems in Vancouver. I’m (not) guessing that other cities have similar woes.

]]> By: fbula http://www.francesbula.com/olympic-village/peck-report-on-leaked-documents-your-system-sucks/comment-page-1/#comment-8979 fbula Tue, 24 Mar 2009 15:35:19 +0000 http://www.francesbula.com/?p=1307#comment-8979 Before responding to the main point you make, I should note that Peck is talking about leaks of in-camera/confidential information. Just getting an advance copy of a report that's going to be posted a few hours later doesn't fall under what he's talking about. To my knowledge, btw, the Sun, Courier and Georgia Straight all got the report around the same time. There's a difference, by the way, between leaking and strategic media decisions on making sure media who follow issues closely get information in time for a particular deadline. As for the main point -- I'd welcome some clarity and consistency. I used to talk to people about what happened at in-camera meetings (most notably, when the city decided to sue the Walls over the dark glass on their tower) but over the years, Judy Rogers warned them so repeatedly about the grave consequences of what would happen if they talked about in-camera stuff that people got totally confused and erratic about what they would be willing to say. I can't tell you how many times I had councillors and political staffers on the other end of the line, quite unsure of whether they could even tell me there had been a meeting on a subject. The prevailing atmosphere seemed to be so cautious that people were hesitant about saying perfectly innocuous things. If there were some clear rules and a commitment to making information public as soon as the need for secrecy was over, it would be better for both the public and the media. Before responding to the main point you make, I should note that Peck is talking about leaks of in-camera/confidential information. Just getting an advance copy of a report that’s going to be posted a few hours later doesn’t fall under what he’s talking about. To my knowledge, btw, the Sun, Courier and Georgia Straight all got the report around the same time. There’s a difference, by the way, between leaking and strategic media decisions on making sure media who follow issues closely get information in time for a particular deadline.

As for the main point — I’d welcome some clarity and consistency. I used to talk to people about what happened at in-camera meetings (most notably, when the city decided to sue the Walls over the dark glass on their tower) but over the years, Judy Rogers warned them so repeatedly about the grave consequences of what would happen if they talked about in-camera stuff that people got totally confused and erratic about what they would be willing to say. I can’t tell you how many times I had councillors and political staffers on the other end of the line, quite unsure of whether they could even tell me there had been a meeting on a subject. The prevailing atmosphere seemed to be so cautious that people were hesitant about saying perfectly innocuous things.

If there were some clear rules and a commitment to making information public as soon as the need for secrecy was over, it would be better for both the public and the media.

]]> By: Irony http://www.francesbula.com/olympic-village/peck-report-on-leaked-documents-your-system-sucks/comment-page-1/#comment-8931 Irony Tue, 24 Mar 2009 04:37:17 +0000 http://www.francesbula.com/?p=1307#comment-8931 How do you feel about Mr. Peck's report given that you are on the receiving end of so many leaks (including, apparently and ironically, Mr. Peck's report)? How do you feel about Mr. Peck’s report given that you are on the receiving end of so many leaks (including, apparently and ironically, Mr. Peck’s report)?

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