Evidence of meeting #55 for Access to Information, Privacy and Ethics in the 39th Parliament, 1st Session. (The original version is on Parliament’s site, as are the minutes.) The winning word was report.
A recording is available from Parliament.
12:45 p.m.
Senior ATIP Analyst, Access to Information and Privacy Protection Division, Department of Foreign Affairs and International Trade
It was as an example, and that's what I went back to Ms. Kutz with.
12:45 p.m.
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Tom Wappel
All right.
So, Ms. Kutz, it's back to you. You were told, as an example, that he wanted “Afghanistan 2006”, and he named the report exactly as it's called. Why did you not provide that at that time?
12:45 p.m.
Director, Human Rights, Gender Equality, Health and Population Division, Department of Foreign Affairs and International Trade
I do not recall being advised that he wanted the Afghan report. Had I been asked for that Afghan report I would certainly have provided it, as I had in response to his earlier request and the request of Mr. Attaran, both of which were in the system. Had there been a clear request that was conveyed to me as a request, I would have responded in kind.
12:45 p.m.
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Tom Wappel
I guess we'll have to agree to disagree. It seems like a very clear request to me.
Madame Archambault, do you want to comment?
12:45 p.m.
Senior ATIP Analyst, Access to Information and Privacy Protection Division, Department of Foreign Affairs and International Trade
Excuse me, sir. What I'm trying to say is that when I pushed Mr. Esau, when I discussed with Mr. Esau what he was looking for, he gave that one as an example. When I asked, “Do you want that one?”, he said that he already had a request in for it, so I didn't have to ask her for another copy of that report. It was an example of the fact that he knew that there were other kinds of human rights reports that were done by the department.
12:45 p.m.
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Tom Wappel
By the way, Ms. Archambault, thank you very much, in my view, for doing what this manual says, and that is carrying on a conversation with the requester. It's just unfortunate that it didn't occur before the first answer went out that there was no such report. I congratulate you for what, in my view, is adhering to the paragraph I read earlier.
12:45 p.m.
Senior ATIP Analyst, Access to Information and Privacy Protection Division, Department of Foreign Affairs and International Trade
Thank you, Mr. Chair.
12:45 p.m.
Conservative
Dave Van Kesteren Conservative Chatham-Kent—Essex, ON
Thank you, Mr. Chair.
I thank the witnesses for coming.
Coming from the private sector, one of the things that has struck me is the level of professionalism in the public sector, and I really want to tell you that. You obviously take your jobs very seriously. It's unfortunate that every once in a while these sorts of things have to come up.
I wanted to ask, however, Ms. Nixon, how many years you have been in the public service.
12:45 p.m.
ATIP Team Leader, Access to Information and Privacy Protection Division, Department of Foreign Affairs and International Trade
Do you mean in the public service all told? It has been eight years.
12:45 p.m.
Director, Human Rights, Gender Equality, Health and Population Division, Department of Foreign Affairs and International Trade
It'll be 19 years in December.
12:45 p.m.
Senior ATIP Analyst, Access to Information and Privacy Protection Division, Department of Foreign Affairs and International Trade
Thirty and a half years.
12:45 p.m.
Conservative
12:45 p.m.
ATIP Consultant, Access to Information and Privacy Protection Division, Department of Foreign Affairs and International Trade
It has been twenty-four years.
12:45 p.m.
Conservative
Dave Van Kesteren Conservative Chatham-Kent—Essex, ON
Twenty-four, wow.
As they say, nations rise and nations fall, and I suppose governments come and governments go.
Have you ever had government interference in your duties? In all your years of service, have you ever had what you would consider government interference, political government interference? I'll ask you all individually.
12:50 p.m.
ATIP Team Leader, Access to Information and Privacy Protection Division, Department of Foreign Affairs and International Trade
No.
12:50 p.m.
Director, Human Rights, Gender Equality, Health and Population Division, Department of Foreign Affairs and International Trade
No.
12:50 p.m.
Senior ATIP Analyst, Access to Information and Privacy Protection Division, Department of Foreign Affairs and International Trade
12:50 p.m.
ATIP Consultant, Access to Information and Privacy Protection Division, Department of Foreign Affairs and International Trade
No.
12:50 p.m.
Conservative
Dave Van Kesteren Conservative Chatham-Kent—Essex, ON
The last question I wanted to ask is whether, should that ever happen, there is an avenue to protect your integrity. Is there somewhere you can go? Is there protection for you in case this ever did happen?
Ms. Kutz.
12:50 p.m.
Director, Human Rights, Gender Equality, Health and Population Division, Department of Foreign Affairs and International Trade
One would automatically go to one's supervisor.
12:50 p.m.
Conservative
Dave Van Kesteren Conservative Chatham-Kent—Essex, ON
So there is an avenue to make sure that this....