Archive (Tag: access)
Who Signs for a Child? (updated)
When it comes to obtaining the personal information of a child under the age of 18 years, it is commonly accepted that a child cannot sign for themselves. So, who can sign for that child? The Children’s Law Act, 2020 sections 3 and 4 provides: The parents of a child are joint legal decision-makers with... read more
Elections and Responding to Access to Information Requests
In Canada, we are fortunate to live in a democratic society where citizens are able to express their wishes of who governs us through our right to vote. By living in a democratic society, citizens are able to ask questions and exercise their access to information rights to ensure elected officials and provincial and municipal... read more
The Search for Personal Health Information (updated)
When a patient (applicant) makes an access to information request for their personal health information, the search for responsive records may not be as easy as just checking out the health records department. The Health Information Protection Act (HIPA) applies to all personal health information in the custody or control of a trustee regardless of... read more
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