What are the Access to
Information and Privacy Acts
The Access to Information Act and the Privacy
Act (revised Statutes of Canada, Chapter A-1, 1985)
were proclaimed on July 1,1983.
The Access to Information Act (ATIA) gives Canadian
citizens, permanent residents and corporations present
in Canada, the right of access to information contained
in federal government records, subject to certain specified
and limited exceptions.
The Privacy Act extends to individuals the right
of access to information about themselves held by the
government, subject to specific and limited exceptions.
The law also protects the individual's privacy by preventing
others from having access to personal information and
gives individuals substantial control over its collection
and use.
What is the Purpose of the
ATI Act
The Access to Information Act (ATIA) injects
three principles into the relationship between government
and the public:
- the public has a legal right of access to information
contained in federal government records;
- although the government may refuse to grant access,
its authority to do so is limited to the circumstances
described in the ATIA as exemptions or exclusions;
the burden of proving that such information is exempted
or excluded rests with the institution;
- any decision by a government institution to refuse
access to information can be reviewed by the Information
Commissioner and, ultimately by the Federal Court.
What records fall under the
Acts
Any documented material, regardless of physical form
or characteristics fall under the Act. This includes
anything in recorded form such as videos, cassettes,
drawings, diagrams, draft documents, emails, minutes
of meetings and memos.
Anything can be requested under the Acts, however,
not all material is releasable.
Can personal infomation
be released? What is protected?
The Privacy Act sets out the rules governing
the collection, retention and disposal of personal information.
It also provides a use and disclosure code for the protection
of this information. This code stipulates the criteria
under which information can be disclosed, including
for what purposes and to whom it may be disclosed.
Personal information about an individual can only be
disclosed to someone else with the consent of the individual
or when one or more of the criteria set out in the Act
are met.
How do I submit a request?
A request can be made in two ways:
- by completing an Access to Information Request
form found in the ATIP Directorate, in libraries or
from any location where the Info Source publication
is available including the Treasury Board Secretariat
of Canada web site; or
- by submitting a written request which makes reference
to the ATIA and provides sufficient information which
would allow an officer of the department to readily
identify and search for the information.
For more information on completing a request form
or to dowload a request form please follow the link
below:
http://www.tbs-sct.gc.ca/tbsf-fsct/350-57_e.asp
To request printed forms, please contact:
Distribution Centre
Treasury Board of Canada Secretariat
E-mail: services-publications@tbs-sct.gc.ca
Telephone: (613) 995-2855
TTY: (613) 957-9090
Fax: (613) 996-0518
Address: Room P-135, West Tower
300 Laurier Avenue West
Ottawa, Ontario K1A 0G5
|
