2001-2002
Annual Report
on the
Access to Information Act
and the
Privacy Act

Table of Contents

1.	About the Organization	1
(i)	Overview of the Treasury Board and its Secretariat	1
(ii)	Administration	1
(iii)	Information Holdings	2
(iv)	Reading Room	2
2.	Report on the Access to Information Act	2
(i)	Requests under the Act	2
(ii)	Other Requests	3
(iii)	Disposition of Completed Requests	3
(iv)	Completion Time and Extensions	4
(v)	Exemptions Invoked	4
(vi)	Exclusions Cited	4
(vii)	Complaints and Investigations	5
(viii)	Fees	5
(ix)	Costs	5
3.	Report on the Privacy Act	6
(i)	Requests under the Act	6
(ii)	Disposition of Completed Requests	6
(iii)	Completion Time and Extensions	6
(iv)	Exemptions Invoked	6
(v)	Complaints and Investigations	7
(vi)	Disclosure under paragraph 8(2)(e) of the Privacy Act	7
(vii)	Costs	7

Annex A – Report on the Access to Information Act	8
Annex B – Report on the Privacy Act	9

1.	About the Organization
(i)	Overview of the Treasury Board and its Secretariat
The Treasury Board is one of four Cabinet committees of the Queen’s Privy Council for Canada.  It was established constitutionally in 1867 and given statutory powers in 1869.  The President of the Treasury Board heads this committee.
As the administrative arm of the Treasury Board, the Secretariat has a dual mandate:  to support the Treasury Board as a committee of ministers and to fulfil the statutory responsibilities of a central government agency.  It is headed by a Secretary-Comptroller General who reports to the President of the Treasury Board.
The Secretariat recommends and provides advice to the Treasury Board on policies, directives, regulations, and program expenditure proposals with respect to the management of the government's financial, human, and material resources. Its responsibilities for the general management of the government affect initiatives, issues and activities that cut across all policy sectors managed by 22 operating departments and some 100 other organizational entities (as reported in the Main Estimates).  The Secretariat is also responsible for the comptroller function of government and the Leadership Network.
The main areas of activity in the central administration cover the following:  expenditure, personnel, financial and information management.
(ii)	Administration
The Access to Information and Privacy Coordinator and the Executive Director of Communications and Executive Services (CES) have delegated authority to oversee the administration of the Access to Information Act and the Privacy Act within the Treasury Board Secretariat and to ensure compliance with the legislation.
During 2001–2002, the ATIP Office continued to provide training sessions for employees on a regular basis.  These sessions provided over 150 participants with an overview of the Act and a better understanding of their obligations and the process within TBS. Customized sessions were also provided to divisional teams upon request.
(iii)	Information Holdings
A description of the classes of institutional records held by the Treasury Board Secretariat can be found in the 2001–2002 publications Info Source – Sources of Federal Government Information as well as Sources of Federal Employee Information.  The Treasury Board Secretariat does not have exempt banks.
The Info Source can be obtained through public and academic libraries, constituency offices of federal Members of Parliament, and on the Internet at http://www.tbs-sct.gc.ca/infosource.
(iv)	Reading Room
A reading room is available to individuals wanting to review Treasury Board Secretariat publications, contracts for temporary help services, and other public materials.  The room is situated in the departmental library, and individuals can contact library personnel for use of the facility.  The Treasury Board Secretariat library is located at:
L’Esplanade Laurier, East Tower, 11th Floor
140 O’Connor Street
Ottawa, Ontario   K1A 0R5
Telephone Number:  (613) 995-5877.
2.	Report on the Access to Information Act
(i)	Requests under the Act
During the reporting period, April 1, 2001 to March 31, 2002, the Secretariat received a total of 219 new requests under the Access to Information Act. Thirty-eight (38) requests were carried over from 
2000–2001. This represents an increase of 38 requests (21%) over last year in which a total of 181 requests had been received. 
Of these 219 new requests, 54 requests (25%) were either transferred or re‑directed to other federal institutions or could not be processed.  A total of 165 requests were for TBS records.
The Public is the largest access client group of the TBS.  During the 2001–2002 reporting period, 82 (37%) of the 219 requests were received from this group.
The substance of the requests covered the entire range of the Treasury Board’s role as the government’s general manager and employer of the federal Public Service.  
For example, requests touched on pension plans, real property, ATI reform, the ATI Review Task Force, Government on-line, EX performance pay, grants and contributions, employment equity, contracts, audits and public opinion research.  As well, information was requested on general management policies and directives:  contracting, travel and classification standards.
Responses to formal ATI requests involved the page-by-page review of over 28, 671 pages of which over 17,754 were recommended for release. There was an 84% increase in the number of pages reviewed over last year, which were 15,590 pages.
(ii)	Other Requests
During this same period, the Secretariat also received 106 consultations from other departments regarding ATI requests involving TBS records or issues. 
In addition, a total of 20 informal requests for information (not subject to the Act) were processed by the Office in support of the Secretariat’s broader objective of providing Canadians with relevant information on an informal and timely basis.
The ATIP Office also acted as a resource for Secretariat officials and offered advice and guidance on the provisions of the legislation.  The ATIP Office was consulted on 40 access issues relating to a range of matters from polls, surveys, harassment, records management, data-matching activities, pay, pension, health care plans, privacy caveats, draft policies and documents for the Auditor General.
(iii)	Disposition of Completed Requests
There were 207 requests completed in 2001–2002.  Of the 50 outstanding requests carried forward to the 2002–2003 fiscal year, 22 were received during the last 31 days of the period, and the responses, therefore, were not due until the new fiscal year.
The disposition of the completed requests was as follows:
•	52 fully disclosed (25%);
•	71 partially disclosed (34%);
•	  1 exempted in entirety (1%);
•	  4 excluded in entirety (2%);
•	18 transferred to another institution (9%)
•	15 abandoned by applicants (7%); and
•	36 could not be processed (17%).
•	10 treated informally (5%)
(iv)	Completion Time and Extensions
The 207 requests in 2001–2002 were completed in the following timeframes:
•	109 within 30 days or less (53%);
•	46 within 31 to 60 days (22%);
•	32 within 61 to 120 days (15%); and
•	20 took 121 days or over (10%).
In 51 instances, the Secretariat found it necessary to seek an extension 
to the prescribed time limit to search through a large volume of records 
or to consult other government institutions or third parties.
For the requests processed in 2001–2002, the number of requests completed within allowable time limits was 160 out of 207 or 77%. 
(v)	Exemptions Invoked
The Secretariat invoked exemptions under the Act a total of 150 times, as follows:
•	2 under S. 13 exempting records obtained in confidence;
•	3 under S. 14 exempting records injurious to federal-provincial affairs;
•	1 under S. 15 exempting records expected to be injurious to the conduct of international affairs and the defence of Canada;
•	3 under S. 16 exempting records containing law enforcement and investigation information;
•	12 under S. 18 exempting records expected to prejudice the economic interests of Canada;
•	26 under S. 19 exempting records containing personal information;
•	11 under S. 20 exempting records containing third party information;  
•	77 under S. 21 exempting records containing information relating to the internal decision-making processes of government; 
•	1 under S. 22 exempting records containing information relating to testing procedures, tests and audits;
•	12 under S. 23 exempting records related to solicitor-client privilege;
•	2 under S. 26 exempting records containing information to be published.

(vi)	Exclusions Cited
Exclusions were invoked 75 times under section 69 for Confidences of the Queen’s Privy Council for Canada.  Part of the Secretariat’s responsibilities is to provide administrative support to the Treasury Board, a Cabinet Committee, and consequently, it controls a large number of documents classified as Cabinet Confidences.
(vii)	Complaints and Investigations
Treasury Board Secretariat clients filed 47 new complaints with the Information Commissioner in 2001–2002. This represents an increase of thirty-two (32) complaints (113%) over the 2000-2001 period in which a total of 15 complaints had been received.  This increase is attributed to 35 complaints filed simultaneously by a single applicant.
The reasons for the complaints were as follows:
•	34 related to time limits in processing;
•	  4 related to missing records; and
•	  9 concerned the exempting/excluding of information.
During this fiscal year, 12 complaint investigations were completed and the conclusions were as follows:
•	  6 complaints were resolved/founded; and
•	  6 complaints were not substantiated.
(viii)	Fees
During the reporting period, the total fees collected amounted to $865 for application fees and $2,179 for reproduction, searching and preparation costs.
(ix)	Costs
During 2001–2002, an estimated $287,725 in salary costs and $25,000 in administrative costs were incurred by the ATIP Office to administer both the Access to Information Act and the Privacy Act.  
These costs do not include the resources expended by the program areas of the Treasury Board Secretariat to meet the requirements of the Acts.  
3.	Report on the Privacy Act
(i)	Requests under the Act
During the reporting period, April 1, 2001 to March 31, 2002, the Secretariat received a total of 28 new requests under the Privacy Act.  
Of these 28 new requests, 24 requests (86%) were either transferred or re‑directed to other federal institutions or could not be processed.  A total of 4 requests were for TBS records.
During this same period, the Secretariat also responded to 2 consultations from other departments regarding Privacy requests involving TBS records or issues.
The privacy client group for TBS consists, for the most part, of current and former federal public servants.  Most of the requests relate to personnel issues involving Treasury Board as the employer.
(ii)	Disposition of Completed Requests
There were 27 requests completed in 2001–2002 and one request was carried forward to the 2002–2003 fiscal year.
The disposition of the completed requests was as follows:
•	2 fully disclosed (7%);
•	1 partially disclosed (4%);
•	20 transferred or re-directed to another institution (74%);
•	4 could not be processed (15%).
(iii)	Completion Time and Extensions
The 27 requests completed in 2001–2002 were processed in the following timeframes:
•	25 within 30 days or less (93%);
•	2 within the 31 to 60 day period (7%).
For the requests processed in 2001-2002, the number of requests completed within allowable time limits was 25 out of 27 or 93%.
(iv)	Exemptions Invoked 
The Secretariat invoked one (1) exemption under S. 22 – Investigations, one (1) exemption under S. 26 as information about another individual, and one (1) exemption under S. 27 as Solicitor Client-Privilege.
(v)	Complaints and Investigations
No new complaints with the Privacy Commissioner were registered in 2001–2002.
(vi)	Disclosure under paragraph 8(2)(e) of the Privacy Act
No request for disclosure of personal information to an investigative body was processed by the Secretariat during the 2001-2002 reporting period.
(vii)	Costs
During 2001–2002, an estimated $287,725 in salary costs and $25,000 in administrative costs were incurred by the ATIP Office to administer both the Access to Information Act and the Privacy Act.
These costs do not include the resources expended by the program areas of the Treasury Board Secretariat to meet the requirements of the Acts.  

Institution
Treasury Board Secretariat / Secrétariat du Conseil du Trésor	Reporting period / Période visée par le rapport
2001-04-01        -         2002-03-31	
Source
	Media / Médias
17	Academia / Secteur universitatire
7	Business / Secteur commercial
61	Organization / Organisme
52	Public
82	

I	Requests under the Access to Information Act / 
Demandes en vertu de la Loi sur l'accès à l'information	II	Dispositon of requests completed / 
Disposition à l'égard des demandes traitées	
Received during reporting period / 
Reçues pendant la période visée par le rapport	219		1.	All disclosed / 
Communication totale	52	6.	Unable to process / 
Traitement impossible	36	
Outstanding from previous period / 
En suspens depuis la période antérieure	38		2.	Disclosed in part / 
Communication partielle	71	7.	Abandoned by applicant / 
Abandon de la demande	15	
TOTAL	257		3.	Nothing disclosed (excluded) / 
Aucune communication (exclusion)	4	8.	Treated informally / 
Traitement non officiel	10	
Completed during reporting period / 
Traitées pendant la période visées par le rapport	207		4.	Nothing disclosed (exempt) / 
Aucune communication (exemption)	1	TOTAL	207	
Carried forward / 
Reportées	50		5.	Transferred / 
Transmission	18			

III	Exemptions invoked / 
Exceptions invoquées	
S.
Art. 13(1)(a)	0	S.
Art 16(1)(a)	0	S.
Art. 18(b)	2	S.
Art. 21(1)(a)	26	
	(b)	0		(b)	0		(c)	0		(b)	21	
	(c)	0		(c)	2		(d)	8		(c)	22	
	(d)	2		(d)	0	S.
Art. 19(1)	26		(d)	8	
S.
Art. 14	3	S.
Art. 16(2)	1	S.
Art. 20(1)(a)	0	S.
Art.22	1	
S.	 15(1)	International rel. /
Art.		Relations interm.	1	S.
Art. 16(3)	0		(b)	6	S.
Art .23	12	
			Defence /
			Défense	0	S.
Art. 17	0		(c)	4	S.
Art. 24	0	
			Subversive activities /
			Activités subversives	0	S.
Art. 18(a)	2		(d)	1	S.
Art. 26	2	

IV	Exclusions cited /
Exclusions citées		V	Completion time /
Délai de traitement	
S.
Art. 68(a)	0	S.
Art. 69(1)(c)	15		30 days or under / 
30 jours ou  moins	109	
	(b)	0		(d)	6		31 to 60 days / 
De 31 à 60 jours	46	
	(c)	0		(e)	9		61 to 120 days /
De 61 à 120 jours	32	
S.
Art. 69(1)(a)	22		(f)	2		121 days or over / 
121 jours ou plus	20	
	(b)	2		(g)	19				

VI	Extensions /
Prorogations des délais		VII	Translations /
Traduction		VIII	Method of access /
Méthode de consultation	
	30 days or under /
30 jours ou moins	31 days or over /
31 jours ou plus		Translations requested / 
Traductions demandées	0		Copies given /
Copies de l'original	121	
Searching /
Recherche	5	5		Translations prepared /	English to French /
De l'anglais au français	0		Examination /
Examen de l'original	0	
Consultation	11	26		Traductions préparées	French to English /
Du français à l'anglais	0		Copies and examination /
Copies et examen	2	
Third party /
Tiers	4	0								
TOTAL	20	31								

IX	Fees /
Frais		X	Costs
Coûts	
Net fees collected /
Frais net perçus		Financial (all reasons) /
Financiers (raisons)	
Application fees /
Frais de la demande	$ 820.00	Preparation /
Préparation	$ 660.00		Salary /
Traitement	$  	264 707.00	
Reproduction	$ 649.80	Computer processing /
Traitement informatique	0		Administration (O and M) /
Administration (fonctionnement et maintien)	$	23 000.00	
Searching /
Recherche	$ 900.00	TOTAL	$ 3 029.80		TOTAL	$	287 707.00	
Fees waived /
Dispense de frais	No. of times /
Nombre de fois	$		Person year utilization (all reasons) /
Années-personnes utilisées (raison)	
$25.00 or under /
25 $ ou moins	1		$ 2.00		Person year (decimal format) /
Années-personnes (nombre décimal)	5	
Over $25.00 /
De plus de 25 $	22		$ 2 734.00				
TBS/SCT 350-62 (Rev. 1999/03)

Institution		
Treasury Board Secretariat / Secrétariat du Conseil du Trésor	Reporting period / Période visée par le rapport
2001-04-01          -          2002-03-31	

I	Requests under the Privacy Act /
Demandes en vertu de la Loi sur la protection
des renseignements personnels		IV	Exclusions cited /
Exclusions citées		VII	Translations /
Traductions	
Received during reporting period / 
Reçues pendant la période visée par le rapport	28		S.
Art. 69(1)(a)	0		Translations requested /
Traductions demandées	0	
Outstanding from previous period / 
En suspens depuis la période antérieure	0			(b)	0		Translations
prepared /	English to French /
De l'anglais au français	0	
TOTAL	28		S.
Art. 70(1)(a)	0		Traductions
préparées	French to English /
Du français à l'anglais	0	
Completed during reporting period / 
Traitées pendant la période visées par le rapport	27			(b)	0		
Carried forward / 
Reportées	1			(c)	0		VIII	Method of access /
Méthode de consultation	
			(d)	0		Copies given /
Copies de l'original	3	
II	Disposition of request completed /
Disposition à l'égard des demandes traitées			(e)	0		Examination /
Examen de l'original	0	
1.	All disclosed /
Communication totale	2			(f)	0		Copies and examination /
Copies et examen	0	
2.	Disclosed in part /
Communication partielle	1						
3.	Nothing disclosed (excluded) /
Aucune communication (exclusion)	0		V	Completion time /
Délai de traitement				
4.	Nothing disclosed (exempt) /
Aucune communication (exemption)	0		30 days or  under /
30 jours ou moins	25		IX	Corrections and notation /
Corrections et mention	
5.	Unable to process /
Traitement impossible	4		31 to 60 days /
De 31 à 60 jours	2		Corrections requested /
Corrections demandées	0	
6.	Abandonned by applicant /
Abandon de la demande	0		61 to 120 days /
De 61 à 120 jours	0		Corrections made /
Corrections effectuées	0	
7.	Transferred / 
Transmission	20		121 days or over /
121 jours ou plus	0		Notation attached /
Mention annexée	0	
TOTAL	27		

III	Exemptions invoked /
Exceptions invoquées		VI	Extentions /
Prorogations des délais		X	Costs /
Coûts	
S.
Art. 18(2)	0			30 days or under /
30 jours ou moins	31 days or over /
31 jours ou plus		Financial (all reasons) /
Financiers (raisons)	
S.
Art. 19(1)(a)	0		Interference with operations /
Interruption des opérations	0	0		Salary /
Traitement	$	2  23 018.00	
	(b)	0		Consultation	0	0		Administration (O and M) /
Administration (fonctionnement et maintien)	$	2000.00	
	(c)	0		Translation /
Traduction	0	0		TOTAL	$	2  25 018.00	
	(d)	0		TOTAL	0	0			
S.
Art. 20	0						Person year utilization (all reasons) /
Années-personnes utilisées (raisons)	
S.
Art. 21	0						Person year (decimal format) /
Années-personnes (nombre décimal)	.5	
S.
Art. 22(1)(a)	0								
	(b)	1								
	(c)	0								
S.
Art. 22(2)	0								
S.
Art. 23  (a)	0								
	(b)	0								
S.
Art. 24	0								
S.
Art. 25	0								
S.
Art. 26	1								
S.
Art. 27	1								
S.
Art. 28	0								
TBS/SCT 350-63 (Rev. 1999/03)