Access to Information and Privacy (ATIP)
I offer ATIP services to support the ATIP Directors and assist in managing and processing ATIP requests for disclosure presented pursuant to both the Access to Information and the Privacy Acts as well as the provision of policy advices on ATIP issues. I also conduct privacy impact assessments (PIAs).
The tasks involved in ATIP processing are, but not limited to:
- Review requests for information under the Access to Information Act and/or the Privacy Act;
- Oversee the preparation of tasking directives to departmental offices of primary interest to obtain records relevant to the ATIP requests;
- Research precedents and establish the most desirable course of action to obtain and select records relevant to requests, including establishing the viability of treating the request informally, if the applicant so agrees and meeting departmental representatives to consult them and seek agreement/acceptance of proposed course of action;
- Review records provided by departmental offices of primary interest including their recommendation for exemptions/exclusions where applicable, and submit proposed severances for approval, after having identified them as per departmental procedures;
- Conduct the required third party, intergovernmental or interdepartmental consultations, including preparing the relevant correspondence;
- Prepare responses within established time frames and correspondence arising from Access to Information and/or Privacy requests (re: Access to Information and/or Privacy Commissioners, Ministerial correspondence, Members of Parliament, law firms, media, interest groups and private citizens);
- Coordinate departmental involvement in, and respond to complaints made by requesters to the Access and/or Privacy Commissioners, and manage related investigations;
- Provide the requisite follow up activities on outstanding requests by communicating with senior staff at National Head quarters (NHQ) and at other organizational levels to discuss tasking directives and to expedite the delivery of relevant records;
- Initiate the preparation of media lines when necessary;
- Prepare “heads up” files to inform senior management of the impending release of sensitive files;
- Respond to public inquiries and provide ATIP policy advice to offices of primary interest and senior management;
- Application of relevant sections of the Access to Information Act and/or Privacy Act concerning extensions of fee as well as notification of same to applicant;
- Liaise with applicant for narrowing down of request and prioritizing releases;
- Privacy risk assessments; and
- Privacy impact assessments; etc.