Surrey-Tynehead provincial Liberal MLA David Hayer says he supports a recently introduced bill that will limit public access to information about major government partnerships with the private sector - despite having been a member of the legislative committee that recommended against just such an amendment. In an interview with your humble organ, Mr. Hayer explained his apparent change of mind this way: "I think the new amendment is a fair amendment. Because the (Citizens' Services Minister Mike de Jong) looked at it. And it went through the (government caucus committee). And they had a chance to provide input. And I think overall the amendment is good...It's more fair to everybody."

Nor is the MLA concerned that the Campbell administration has yet to act on a committee recommendation encouraging the province to regularly release government records as a "matter of course," rather than requiring British Columbians to file formal freedom of information requests. Said Mr. Hayer, "I think the minister looked at all the recommendations by the committee and came to a really good conclusion." Blair Lekstrom, the Liberal backbencher who chaired the committee, has already announced he can't support the government's proposed freedom of information changes.