Records of the Government of Canada

Library and Archives Canada (LAC) holds many archival records created by the Government of Canada. Access to many of these records is subject to two federal acts.

The Access to Information Act
http://laws.justice.gc.ca/en/A-1/index.html

• gives any Canadian citizen or permanent resident the right to consult the records of the federal government;
• gives you the right to request and receive information held by the federal government of Canada.

This information is subject to legal restrictions based on national security, law enforcement, commercial interests and individual privacy.

The Privacy Act
http://laws.justice.gc.ca/en/P-21/index.html

• provides you with the right to access information held by the federal government which pertains to you, while protecting personal information of third parties;
• entitles you to request that a correction or notation be made to your personal information.

See Access to Information and Privacy - More Details.

If you have any questions, you may contact:

Library and Archives Canada
Access to Information and Privacy Division
395 Wellington Street
Ottawa, ON  KIA 0N4
CANADA
Telephone: 613-996-5115 or 1 866 578-7777 (toll free in Canada and in the United States)
Fax: 613-992-9350
Email: atipd@lac-bac.gc.ca

Files of Military Personnel Who Served After 1918

The files of military personnel having served in the Canadian Forces after 1918 are held by LAC. The information in these files is subject to the access to information and privacy legislation. The Canadian Genealogy Centre page entitled Canadian Forces after 1918 explains the proper procedures for requesting access to these files.

Note: The files of military personnel who were killed in action or died of other causes during the Second World War are open to the public.

Researchers from Canadian Government Departments

Persons designated as "departmental researchers" are employees of federal departments who need to consult documents that were created by their own department and that are now held by LAC and are subject to access to information and privacy legislation. See Departmental Researchers for the procedures to obtain the status of departmental researcher.