Access to Information and Protection of Privacy Act (Newfoundland and Labrador)
{{Short description|Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada statute}}
{{Use Canadian English|date=February 2023}}
{{italictitle}}
{{Infobox legislation
| short_title = Access to Information and Protection of Privacy Act
| legislature = General Assembly of Newfoundland and Labrador
| citation = SNL 2015, c A-1.2
| date_assented = 2015-06-01
| date_effective =
| administered_by =
| amended_by =
| status = current
}}
The Access to Information and Protection of Privacy Act (ATIPPA) is an act of the General Assembly of Newfoundland and Labrador that is both an access-to-information statute and an information-privacy statute.
It enables the right-of-access to records held by public agencies in the province and governs the handling of personal information by public bodies.
Provisions
Access to information regarding crown corporations depends on the statute that governs that crown corporation.{{Cite news |last=Mercer |first=Juanita |date=2019-01-25 |title=Nalcor employee denied access to information about his job |url=https://www.saltwire.com/newfoundland-labrador/nalcor-employee-denied-access-to-information-about-his-job-279119 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250423131444/https://www.saltwire.com/newfoundland-labrador/nalcor-employee-denied-access-to-information-about-his-job-279119 |archive-date=2025-04-23 |access-date=2025-04-23 |work=The Telegram}} Municipalities are covered under the legislation.{{Cite news |last=Crocker |first=Diane |date=2023-04-14 |title='This had taken me right out of the blue': Port au Port East mayor shocked to hear about access to information request problem |url=https://www.saltwire.com/atlantic-canada/this-had-taken-me-right-out-of-the-blue-port-au-port-east-mayor-shocked-to-hear-about-access-to-information-request-problem-100843684 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250423140053/https://www.saltwire.com/atlantic-canada/this-had-taken-me-right-out-of-the-blue-port-au-port-east-mayor-shocked-to-hear-about-access-to-information-request-problem-100843684 |archive-date=2025-04-23 |access-date=2025-04-23 |work=PNI Atlantic News}}
The statute establishes the Office of the Information and Privacy Commissioner.{{Cite news |last=Head |first=Jenna |date=2024-12-03 |title=PCs, NDP form rare partnership to question appointment process of N.L.'s new privacy commissioner |url=https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/newfoundland-labrador/pc-ndp-question-privacy-commissioner-process-1.7400140 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20241204121320/https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/newfoundland-labrador/pc-ndp-question-privacy-commissioner-process-1.7400140 |archive-date=2024-12-04 |access-date=2025-04-23}}
The act requires that ministers must consult with the commissioner on bills relating to access to information or protection of privacy.{{Cite news |last=Mercer |first=Juanita |date=2023-11-16 |title='Critical' process: N.L. government claws back consultation with privacy commissioner |url=https://www.saltwire.com/atlantic-canada/critical-process-nl-government-claws-back-consultation-with-privacy-commissioner-100912434 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250423135456/https://www.saltwire.com/atlantic-canada/critical-process-nl-government-claws-back-consultation-with-privacy-commissioner-100912434 |archive-date=2025-04-23 |access-date=2025-04-23 |work=PNI Atlantic News}}
Implementation
According to the Information and Privacy Commissioner there was a "substantial increase" in the number of access to information requests between 2015 and 2016.{{Cite news |date=2016-08-06 |title='Substantial increase' in access to information requests since 2015 says new N.L. privacy commissioner |url=https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/newfoundland-labrador/substantial-increase-in-access-to-information-requests-since-2015-says-new-n-l-privacy-commissioner-1.3710179 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160807133539/https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/newfoundland-labrador/substantial-increase-in-access-to-information-requests-since-2015-says-new-n-l-privacy-commissioner-1.3710179 |archive-date=2016-08-07 |access-date=2025-04-23 |work=CBC News}}
In 2024, the government recommended a candidate for the position of Information and Privacy Commissioner who had a "track record" of assisting restricting access to information rather than facilitating it.{{Cite news |last=Oleinik |first=Anton |date=2024-12-06 |title=Opinion: The battle for non-transparency: government appears to be winning |url=https://www.saltwire.com/newfoundland-labrador/opinion-the-battle-for-non-transparency-government-appears-to-be-winning |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250423132929/https://www.saltwire.com/newfoundland-labrador/opinion-the-battle-for-non-transparency-government-appears-to-be-winning |archive-date=2025-04-23 |access-date=2025-04-23 |work=The Telegram}}
References
External links
- [https://assembly.nl.ca/legislation/sr/statutes/a01-2.htm Text of the Act]
Category:Newfoundland and Labrador provincial legislation
Newfoundland and Labrador, Access to Information and Protection of Privacy Act
Newfoundland and Labrador, Access to Information and Protection of Privacy Act