Winner of the 2017 Grace-Pépin Access to Information Award

Gatineau, Quebec, September 26, 2017 – The Information Commissioner of Canada announced today the winner of the 2017 Grace-Pépin Access to Information Award. This year’s recipient is Darce Fardy, retired journalist at the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation and Review Officer for Nova Scotia.

During his career, Darce Fardy defended access to information through his exceptional work. For 40 years, he has contributed positively to television programs including The Fifth Estate, Marketplace, Venture, The Journal and Man Alive. He then continued his career as Review Officer of Nova Scotia. He also founded the Nova Scotia Right to Know Coalition where he continued to uphold the right to information.

“The 2017 Grace-Pépin Access to Information Award is an opportunity to promote the achievements of advocates for the right to information,” said Information Commissioner Suzanne Legault. “Through his outstanding work, Mr. Fardy has devoted his career to advancing the right to information, and it is a great honour to present this year's award to him.”

The 2017 selection committee was comprised of Guy Berthiaume, Librarian and Archivist of Canada, Toby Mendel, Director of the Center of Law and Democracy, Peter Di Gangi, Research Director at the Algonquin Nations Secretariat and Sean Holman, Professor of Journalism at Mount Royal University.

The Award was presented to Mr. Fardy at the Right to Know Conference at the Shaw Center in Ottawa, Ontario. The Grace-Pépin Award was named in recognition of the contributions of John Grace, former Information Commissioner of Canada, and Marcel Pépin, President and founder of the Commission d’accès à l’information du Québec.