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Commissioner
The Commissioner is an Officer of the Legislature. As such, he is independent of government. The Commissioner has a broad range of regulatory responsibilities and powers. Beyond the statutory duties imposed by the legislation, the Commissioner’s Office also takes great effort to focus many of their activities to educate the public as well as the organizations subject to the FOIP Act, HIA or PIPA.
The Commissioner’s duties include:
Informing Albertans about existing and proposed privacy legislation
Commenting on the privacy and information implications of proposed legislation and programs
Reviewing the access to information decisions made by the public bodies, custodians, organizations and agencies under the jurisdiction of the FOIP Act, HIA or PIPA
Investigating how personal information is collected, used and disclosed to ensure compliance under the FOIP Act, HIA or PIPA
Receive comments from the public about how each of the Acts are being administered
Research of any factor which may affect the achievement of the purposes of the FOIP Act, HIA or PIPA
Giving advice and recommendations about the Acts to heads of public bodies, custodians and organizations
Collaborating with stakeholders to educate the public, organizations and agencies subject to privacy legislation through community involvement, including, presentations, production of awareness materials including written guides, brochures and community service messages, sponsorship of educational programs through provincial educational institutions such as the University of Alberta, sponsorship of industry related conferences.
In keeping with the spirit of the legislation and in the interest of transparency, the Commissioner's travel expenses are posted quarterly on this website. For further information, click Proactive Disclosure
Frank J. Work, Q.C.
Commissioner
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Alberta appointed its second Information and Privacy Commissioner, Franklin J. Work, Q.C in 2002.
Mr. Work will oversee the access to information and protection of privacy provisions of Alberta’s Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy (FOIP) Act, the Health Information Act (HIA) and the Personal Information Protection Act (PIPA). Additionally, Mr. Work will inform and educate Albertans about the Acts, taking time to listen to concerns, administer constructive advice to public bodies and custodians and investigate potential abuses.
Mr. Work was born in Calgary, received his Bachelors and Masters Degree in Environmental Design from the University of Calgary and obtained a law degree in 1981 from McGill University. After a brief stint practicing corporate commercial law in Calgary, Mr. Work had the opportunity to work for the Attorney General of Bermuda. During his time in Bermuda, Mr. Work was seconded to the United Nations Environmental Program. After returning to Canada in 1987, Mr. Work took a contract position with the World Bank and was assigned to the country of Mauritius. There he worked with the Minister of Environment, Executive Council, and various aid agencies in developing environmental policy and law. From 1991 to 1996 Mr. Work worked as Parliamentary Counsel to the Legislative Assembly of Alberta, and spent time working as General Counsel to the Ethics Commissioner of Alberta. In 1996 Mr. Work began his career at the Office of the Information and Privacy Commissioner as General Counsel and Assistant Commissioner. Mr. Work was appointed as Acting Information and Privacy Commissioner in September 2001 and was subsequently appointed to a five year term as Information and Privacy Commissioner in May 2002.
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