Decisions

The complainant alleged that the Privy Council Office (PCO) did not respond within the extended period under subsection 9(1) of the Access to Information Act to an access request. The request was for documents, memoranda, e-mails, correspondence, briefing notes, text messages, messages on Microsoft Teams or any other messaging platform, and any other records, including drafts, from September 1, 2022, to the present, respecting committee studies of foreign election interference. The allegation falls under paragraph 30(1)(a) of the Act.

The investigation determined that PCO did not respond by the required date and is deemed to have refused access to the requested records under subsection 10(3). The delay was caused by the large volume of records and the failure of the Access to Information and Privacy (ATIP) office to initiate consultations in a timely manner.

The Information Commissioner ordered that PCO provide a complete response to the access request by November 15, 2024.

PCO gave notice to the Commissioner that it would be implementing the order and would respond to the access request by the ordered due date.

The complaint is well founded.

The complainant alleged that the extension of time Indigenous Services Canada (ISC) took under subsection 9(1) of the Access to Information Act to respond to an access request was unreasonable. The request was for permits, contracts, modifications, letters and violation notices sent to G&R Recyclage in Kanasatake, as well as internal correspondence about this company, since 2014. The allegation falls under paragraph 30(1)(c) of the Act.

The investigation determined that ISC was processing over 17,000 pages of records responsive to this request and that some of these records would need to be sent to third parties for consultation. At the time the investigation took place, ISC had reviewed 9,000 pages.

The Information Commissioner ordered that ISC provide a complete response to the access request by December 12, 2024, and to issue any required notices to third parties no later than October 1, 2024.

ISC gave notice to the Commissioner that it would be implementing the order and would respond to the access request by the ordered due date.

The complaint is well founded.