Nova Scotia
NOVA SCOTIA FREEDOM OF INFORMATION AND PROTECTION OF PRIVACY REVIEW OFFICER
The Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Review Officer is the independent oversight body responsible for reviewing access to information decisions made by all public bodies. Those bodies include the provincial departments, boards, agencies and commissions, universities, school boards and municipal bodies including municipal police. The Review Officer reports to the Legislative Assembly annually and is appointed for a term of five to seven years. The responsibilities of the office include intake, analysis, mediation, investigation and formal Reviews of Requests for Review received from the public regarding access to information and correction of personal information decisions made under
the
Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act (FOIPOP) and
Part XX of the Municipal Government Act.
The current Review Officer has also been appointed the Privacy Review Officer under the Privacy Review Officer Act, with the authority to investigate privacy complaints.
Website:
www.foipop.gov.ns.ca
Activities 2010
September 28, 2010 is International Right to Know Day.
The Nova Scotia Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Review Office is participating in this Canada-wide effort to raise awareness of the right to access information and its value, with a local focus on what it means to those living and working in Nova Scotia.
The purpose of these events is to celebrate the right of Canadians, particularly Nova Scotians, to access information in the possession, or under the control of public bodies as enshrined in freedom of information legislation.
Such legislation reinforces the accountability of governments by ensuring they operate with transparency and openness.
With respect to the goal of openness, access information legislation has two primary purposes. First, individuals have a right of access to records under the control of all public institutions and second, that requesters of information have a right to complain about decisions made by public institutions to an independent oversight body, which in
Nova Scotia is the Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Review Officer.
In
Nova Scotia,
Premier Darrell Dexter has
proclaimed the week of September 27 – October 1 Right to Know Week
at both the provincial and municipal levels
.
The Nova Scotia Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Review Office is supporting an event being held at the
University of
King’s College on September 28, 2010.
Secrecy in Democracy – Freedom of Information in Nova Scotia 2010 will be the theme of this key Right to Know Week event.
The event will feature a presentation by King’s Journalism professor Fred Vallance-Jones on the 2009-2010 Canadian Newspaper Association study on public sector freedom of information practices across Canada, as well as lively panel discussions involving journalists, politicians and public servants chaired by Darce Fardy, President of the Nova Scotia Right to Know Coalition.
The panel discussions will focus on the state of public sector freedom of information practices and the public’s right to know under
Nova Scotia’s current access to information legislation. For more details,
click here.
In addition, the Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Review Office is holding a contest in the form of a quiz which focuses on the Right to Know.
The quiz will be available on the website at
www.foipop.ns.ca
from September 27th to October 1st, 2010.
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