Archive (Tag: access)
Providing a Record in the Format Requested by the Applicant
Applicants often request records in a format which is convenient for their use i.e., paper, word spreadsheet, Excel or comma-separated values (CSV) or pdf. I find that public bodies are comfortable providing records in paper format but when it comes to electronic formats, they lean toward a pdf format. It appears they believe that the... read more
Duty to Assist – Ask, What Do You Need?
The Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act (FOIP) and The Local Authority Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act (LA FOIP) since 2018, have a section on the duty to assist, it provides as follows: 5.1(1) Subject to this Act and the regulations, a government institution shall respond to a written request... read more
When We Cannot Help You
My office gets calls from residents when they are expecting us to solve their problem. We receive approximately 1300 calls a year. Some of those citizens have called other agencies or public bodies. They may have called the Ombudsman or the Advocate for Children and Youth office, the Ministry of Social Services, Saskatchewan Human Rights... read more
A Discussion With Sharon Polsky
I had the pleasure of talking to Sharon Polsky, President of the Privacy and Access Council of Canada. Sharon has been the president of PACC since its inception. We discussed PACC’s accomplishments in 2023 and her hopes and objectives for 2024. We also discussed her thoughts regarding Bills C-26 and C-27. Please take some time... read more