Toronto - An Ontario government promise to make the freedom of information process more "open and transparent" has gone unfulfilled as orders to disclose internal documents are ignored, the province's information and privacy commissioner said Tuesday.

Ann Cavoukian's annual report found that requests for documents last year under the Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act hit a record high of 36,739, but the government still hasn't figured out how to properly and fairly manage the process.

"What troubles me is that as a government, the bureaucracy needs to do a much better job at following the spirit of the acts," Cavoukian said.

"Premier McGuinty identified this point himself ... in which he noted that information requested of government should be made public unless there's a clear and compelling reason not to do so, and this just isn't happening."

Conservative Leader John Tory said his party has submitted countless requests for government information and documents but has mostly been stonewalled.

The party says a request for information about the ongoing aboriginal occupation in Caledonia, Ont., still hasn't been fulfilled after about 325 days, while other requests have taken as long as 299 days to be addressed.

"I think there's a need for an entire review of the entire freedom of information process, I think it's become something now between a sort of low-grade comedy and a farce," Tory said.

"This is not a government that is serious about transparency or about making information available, they're the greatest stonewallers ever."

Cavoukian said she purposely used strong language in her report because it seems the government hasn't gotten the message about problems with the freedom of information process, which has been in place since 1987.

"Twenty years, ladies and gentleman, that's a long time. We are well past the learning stage, surely long enough for the bureaucracy to have gotten acclimatized to the principles of openness and transparency," she said.

"Remember, it's basically the public's information let's not forget that one detail. Surely the time for secrecy and withholding information should have come to an end by now."

Minister of Government Services Gerry Phillips said he thought the report was "relatively favourable", despite its harsh tone, and noted Cavoukian did point out some improvements the government has made in how quickly it responds to requests.

"I think if you read the overall report it's a relatively positive report but we have more work to do," Phillips said. "I take her report seriously, we're moving on her recommendations."

The government has already begun to address the complaints about transparency with government contracts and will match the toughest provincial standards in the country, Phillips added.

New Democrat Leader Howard Hampton said that response is too late and the government's lack of disclosure is another example of McGuinty's broken promises.

"(This) government has failed miserably in terms of providing transparent and accountable government," he said.