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Canadian Access to Information Manual Introduction "Freedom of information laws were intended to move us beyond a form of government accountability based solely on trusting the word and good faith of public officials. While trust in our public officials is important, and usually deserved, openness laws allow citizens to verify that their trust is well-placed." — John Reid, Information Commissioner of Canada Canada’s access to information laws establish legal rights for people to obtain records from government agencies and private corporations. Such laws are critical for the functioning of a democratic government because they help ensure that the public is fully informed about matters of public concern. Access to information laws have helped uncover fraud, waste, and abuse in government operation. These laws empower individuals to learn about government activities and participate in the democratic process. They also encourage governments and corporations to be responsive when documents show that change to the status quo is necessary. Access to information laws also empower people to find out what personal information the public and private sector keep about them, so as to correct inaccurate information as well as to understand how organizations use that information and to whom it has been disclosed. Such knowledge is vital to individual privacy and self-determination.
This guide to Canada's open access laws is an initiative of "On the Identity Trail", a multidisciplinary research project led by University of Ottawa law professor Ian Kerr and funded by the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council's "Initiatives on the New Economy" program. The "On the Identity Trail" project examines issues relating to the preservation of anonymity and privacy in an information society. The researchers involved in this project believe that individuals can most effectively exercise their privacy rights when they have the ability to access and control information, both about themselves and the entities that make decisions that affect them. This user guide is intended to help you, the reader, gain access to information about yourself and the government. The first section of this manual explains how to use federal, provincial, and territorial laws to access information about the government. The second section provides information about how to use federal, provincial and territorial laws to request your personal information held by the public and private sectors. Each chapter covers a different jurisdiction, explaining not only how to make a request, but also what you can expect in response, and how you can appeal an unsatisfactory response. Each chapter also provides helpful links to resources such as legislation, government sites and guides. You’ll also find in this manual some general tips on using access to information laws to get the information you want. We hope the publication of this manual will enable researchers, advocates, and the general public to better use the Canada's access to information laws in their efforts to hold governments and corporations accountable.
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