Wednesday, July 5, 2000  Grits get $50G bill for freedom of information request By SCOTT PATTISON, EDMONTON SUN The Alberta Liberals say they aren't about to let $50,000 get in the way of keeping the Klein government accountable to the public on Bill 11.  Last week the Premier's office told the official Opposition it would cost them more than $50,000 to respond to a Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act (FOIP) search request to fork over 22,000 letters it claims to have received from taxpayers on its controversial health-care legislation, Bill "Rest assured, we will be pursuing this," said Liberal treasury critic Howard Sapers, suggesting the $50,000 estimate was nothing more than a ploy from the Tories to force them to retreat.  "The freedom of information law is supposed to shine some light on government business, but that's a pretty expensive price to pay for access."  Friends of Medicare's Christine Burdett echoed Sapers's concerns about access to information legislation that was supposed to open government to the public. Both say if the official Opposition has trouble getting information, a member of the public has even less chance.  But privacy commissioner Bob Clark said yesterday the Liberals can appeal the fee - and he could waive it.  "Anyone can make an appeal to this office," said Clark, adding, "I don't even know what they (Tories) are talking about or what the amount is for. But I do have the power to waive fees."  A release of the letters, e-mails and faxes that the Klein government received concerning Bill 11, pro and con, could also represent a political boon for the Liberals - the names of thousands of anti-Tory taxpayers.  05:49 07/05/2000  http://www.canoe.ca/EdmontonNews/es.es-07-05-0015.html