"The purposes of the
Access to Information
and Protection of Privacy
Act are to make public
bodies more accountable
to the public and to
protect personal privacy."
Hank Moorlag
Information & Privacy Commissioner
Contact the Information and Privacy Commissioner
Call toll free in the Yukon 1-800-661-0408
(ext. 8468) or locally call (867) 667-8468
Send a fax to (867) 667-8469
Write to the Office of the Ombudsman
PO Box 31300
Whitehorse, Yukon Y1A 5P7
or
PO Box 2703
Whitehorse, Yukon Y1A 2C6
Visit the office located at
211 Main Street (Shoppers' Plaza)
Suite 200, in Whitehorse
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Click on the New Ombudsman & Information and Privacy Commissioner logo (Top Left) to learn all about it.
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September 25 - October 1, 2006
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What is an Information and Privacy Commissioner?
The Yukon Information and Privacy Commissioner is an independent authority responsible to the Legislative Assembly. The primary job of the Information and Privacy Commissioner is to review, upon written request, decisions made by public bodies under the Access to Information and Protection of Privacy Act.
The Commissioner also has responsibility to monitor the administration of the Act to ensure its purposes are achieved. One way this can be done is to receive public complaints or comments about the Act's administration, and to investigate and make reports. To make a complaint about the administration of the Act, make out a complaint form and mail or deliver the form to our office.
What is The Act?
ATIPP is the acronym for the Access to Information and Protection of Privacy Act (the ATIPP Act), which was proclaimed on July 1, 1996. All Yukon Government departments, agencies, boards, commissions, and corporations, referred to as "public bodies," are subject to the Act.
The legislation is in place to make public bodies more accountable to the public and to protect personal privacy. In other words, the ATIPP Act attempts to strike a balance between access to government records and the protection of personal privacy. It also controls how personal information is collected, used and disclosed, and prevents other people from seeing information about you without your consent.
You can ask to see records held by the Yukon Government, including personal information about yourself. You can also request changes to inaccurate personal information about yourself.
It is a principle of the ATIPP Act that records must be produced unless the Act specifically allows for the records to be withheld.
Where the Information and Privacy Commissioner fits in - reviews, complaints, and appeals.
Requests for access or correction to information in the possession of public bodies are made through the territorial Records Manager. Requests can only be refused for specific reasons. If your request is refused, partially refused, or not answered in time, you may ask the Yukon Information and Privacy Commissioner to review the matter. For a copy of the form to request a review click here.
Copies of your request for review will be provided to the head of the public body and to anyone else that the Information and Privacy Commissioner feels is appropriate. If an agreement cannot be facilitated between you and the public body by the Assistant to the Commissioner then the Commissioner must hold an inquiry.
An inquiry is a formal hearing held by the Information and Privacy Commissioner. This proceeding allows the Commissioner to hear from everyone involved in the matter and to make his decisions and recommendations. Information on how to prepare for written inquiries is available here. To learn more about participating in an inquiry, click here.
The Yukon Information and Privacy Commissioner may review such things as:
- a refusal to grant access to a record;
- a decision to separate or obliterate information from a record;
- a decision about a time extension;
- third party requests to review a decision by the public body to disclose information about that third party;
- requests to have personal information corrected or annotated, that are not granted by the public body.
Requests for reviews generally have to be submitted within 20 or 30 days. Please contact the Office of the Ombudsman and Information and Privacy Commissioner to determine the time restriction that applies to you.
The Yukon Information and Privacy Commissioner can be asked to resolve complaints that a public body has not collected, used or disclosed information in compliance with the Act.
Decisions of the Yukon Information and Privacy Commissioner may be appealed. Appeals may be made to the Yukon Supreme Court by:
- applicants when a public body does not follow the Commissioner’s recommendations;
- applicants unhappy with the determinations of the Commissioner;
- third parties when decisions are made to release information about them.
There are time restrictions that apply to an appeal to the Supreme Court.
Will it cost me any money to use this service?
The service of the Yukon Information and Privacy Commissioner is free.