Canada is one of a rapidly growing list of countries that have freedom of information and data protection legislation.  The information presented here is intended to provide the user with resources related to Canadian laws and policies dealing with access to information and privacy, with a particular emphasis on the federal Access to Information Act and Privacy Act.

• Access to Information Act and Privacy Act
  Using the Access to Information Act and Privacy Act
  
• Regulations and Other Legislative Details
  Information Commissioner of Canada
  Privacy Commissioner of Canada
  
• In order to help requestors find government records and determine where to send their requests, the Access to Information Act and the Privacy Act require each government institution subject to the two Acts to describe the nature of their records in InfoSource
   

A Comprehensive Framework for Access to Information Reform - A Discussion Paper - April 2005

Mr. Gérard Vincent La Forest, Special Advisor to the Minister of Justice - Terms of References

On July 25, 2005, the Prime Minister Paul Martin announced that the  Honourable Gérard Vincent La Forest, former Justice of the Supreme Court of Canada will conduct an arm's length review of the merits of combining the responsibilities of the Information Commissioner and the Privacy Commissioner into a single office.  Mr. La Forest will be appointed as Special Advisor to the Minister of Justice and will report to the Minister in  November 2005.

The mandate of the review will be to assess the successes and challenges of the current model, review models used in other jurisdictions, and develop options for the Government's consideration.

The Offices of the Information and Privacy Commissioners: The Merger and Related Issues
Report of the Special Advisor to the Minister of Justice
Gérard V. La Forest
November 15, 2005
PDF version )

Federal Court of Canada Decisions

• Access to Information Act decisions
  
  
• Privacy Act decisions
  
• InfoSource Bulletin with summaries of recent judgements

Federal Government policies on access and privacy

• Access to Information Policies
  
• Privacy and Data Protection Policies, including policies on data-matching and the use of the Social Insurance Number
  
  
• Security  Policy
  
• Communications and Information Management Policy
  
• Policy on the use of electronic networks
  

Federal Government Institutions' Links related to Access to Information and Privacy

Canadian Provinces and Territories:

• Access and Privacy Laws and Commissions

International

• Access and Privacy Laws and Commissions  
  
• International Treaties and Organizations

Information about contacting us if you have any comments or questions on federal Access to Information or Privacy materials.

For general questions about Canada, see the main Canadian government Web site and the on-line book "How Canadians govern themselves".  Here is a list of phone numbers for making general inquiries to the various Federal Government Institutions.