In accordance with the terms of a special time allocation motion that was passed on November 4, 2010, Bill 122, the Broader Public Sector Accountability Act, 2010, was reported to the House as amended by the Standing Committee on Social Policy and ordered for Third Reading on November 30, 2010.

The Committee amendments include:

• an express protection against the disclosure of information protected by solicitor-client privilege, litigation privilege or settlement privilege; and
• an express obligation for hospitals and local health integration networks to post compliance attestations publicly on their websites.

The Bill is expected to be debated at Third Reading on December 1, 2010, and to pass shortly thereafter.

As previously reported, Bill 122 would impose new rules and higher accountability standards for the broader public sector around the use of external lobbyists, consultants and expenses. It would further bring hospitals under the Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act ("FIPPA").

For more detailed information about the Bill, please read our FTR Now of November 5, 2010, "Government Introduces Public Sector Accountability Legislation".

More information about the extension of FIPPA to hospitals is available in our FTR Now of November 5, 2010, "Government to Bring Hospitals Under the Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act".