Federal departments are rolling out new rules to erase internal records more quickly, ordering the permanent deletion of chat messages within days despite repeated assurances from Prime Minister Mark Carney that access to information matters.Blacklock's Reporter says new guidelines taking effect January 26 instruct managers to automatically delete internal communications, including Microsoft Teams chats and Copilot messages, in as little as 15 days. The changes were outlined in a departmental notice circulated at Veterans Affairs.Under the revised policy, Teams channels and private messages will be deleted after one year, while Teams chats — including those generated with artificial intelligence tools — will be wiped after 15 days, down from 30. Emails left in Outlook’s deleted items folder will be permanently erased after 30 days.The notice said the rules apply to information deemed to have “no ongoing business value,” such as informal chats, drafts finalized elsewhere, or deleted emails not required as official records. .Managers said government policy requires the disposal of such “transitory content” once its immediate purpose has been served.“Keeping it longer increases risk and does not align with information management principles,” the notice stated, without explaining what risks longer retention might pose.Veterans Affairs spokesman Josh Bueckert described the accelerated deletions as routine housekeeping, saying the policy is meant to prevent the uncontrolled buildup of non-essential data.The Office of the Information Commissioner said it was not informed of the new practice. In a statement, the office noted the Access To Information Act requires federal institutions to preserve records that document decisions and actions.Treasury Board officials said departments are responsible for their own recordkeeping practices, while acknowledging that not all information held by government has business value. .Spokesman Martin Potvin said regular disposal of transitory records is consistent with good information management and makes it easier to access records that do matter.However, Treasury Board guidance issued in 2024 emphasized that even routine records play a role in transparency. The guide noted that everyday documents and digital communications create a record of decisions and actions, allowing for accountability.Carney has previously voiced support for access to information reform. Last April, he told reporters improving the system was important, pointing to delays and redactions as ongoing concerns.During the 2015 election campaign, Liberals pledged to raise the bar on openness, stating government information should be open by default and that public trust depends on transparency.The new deletion rules, critics say, raise fresh questions about whether Ottawa’s actions match its rhetoric on openness and accountability.
