Alb
Alberta
ALBERTA INFORMATION AND PRIVACY COMMISSIONER
Alberta’s Information and Privacy Commissioner is an independent officer of the Legislature. The Commissioner oversees the access to information and protection of privacy provisions of Alberta’s Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act (FOIP); the Health Information Act (HIA); and the Personal Information Protection Act (PIPA).
FOIP applies to “public bodies”, which includes: provincial government ministries, boards and commissions, school boards, universities, colleges, municipalities and police. HIA applies to health custodians and PIPA applies to private sector organizations.
Under FOIP, you have a right of access to any record in the custody or under the control of a public body, subject to limited and specific exceptions. HIA and PIPA grant you a right of access to your own health/personal information, subject to limited and specific exceptions.
If you have any issues with a response from a public body/custodian/organization to your access request, you may write to the Commissioner and ask for a review. In Alberta, the Commissioner has order-making powers. An order made by the Commissioner is final.
Our office is pleased to participate with other access and privacy oversight offices across Canada in coordinating efforts to recognize Canada’s Right to Know Week, September 28 to October 2, 2009.
Our Website:
http://www.oipc.ab.ca
2009 Activities
Tuesday, September 29:
Commissioner
Frank Work will attend a luncheon with
FOI
coordinators from the Workers Compensation Board in Edmonton.
The Commissioner will discuss access to information issues and Freedom of Information legislation. The presentation will be followed with a question and answer session.
Thursday, October 1:
Half day workshop with
FOI coordinators from Government of Alberta Ministries and Departments and municipal FOIP coordinators.
The event will include a panel discussion on some recent freedom of information issues and how they were successfully completed.
Commissioner Work will also give a state of the union address on access to information and will discuss some success stories and will outline some of his concerns dealing with access to information.
