Evidence of meeting #39 for Access to Information, Privacy and Ethics in the 39th Parliament, 2nd Session. (The original version is on Parliament’s site, as are the minutes.) The winning word was requests.
A recording is available from Parliament.
4:40 p.m.
Conservative
Mike Wallace Conservative Burlington, ON
No, I didn't hear you. Normally I can hear you quite clearly. But not this time.
So part of the report that the Privacy Commissioner has given us talks about what's happening from her perspective. On page 77, the report talks about Correctional Services: 11 discontinued, 9 not well founded, settled in course of investigation, 43 founded. If I understand what she's telling us here, these are complaints that, once you've done your work at Corrections, they've appealed to the Privacy Commissioner's office. In your old role you'd investigate. Is that correct?
4:40 p.m.
Conservative
Mike Wallace Conservative Burlington, ON
So there would be an investigator assigned to that. Then when she says in her report they are discontinued, does that mean they found a resolution or the person has withdrawn the issue or passed away? What does it mean by “discontinued”?
4:40 p.m.
Director, Access to Information and Privacy, Correctional Service Canada
When I was at the Office of the Privacy Commissioner, “discontinued” would be exactly as you said. It may be that the person is no longer interested in pursuing the complaint. It may be that the person cannot be located. Those are the types of situations.
4:40 p.m.
Conservative
Mike Wallace Conservative Burlington, ON
So all these might not be inmates; they may be other people who are coming.
4:40 p.m.
Director, Access to Information and Privacy, Correctional Service Canada
Absolutely.
4:40 p.m.
Conservative
Mike Wallace Conservative Burlington, ON
Do you have a split on how many are internal clients and external clients? Do you know what the difference is? Is it heavier weighted to the inmate side than the victim side or the other way around?
4:40 p.m.
Director, Access to Information and Privacy, Correctional Service Canada
Are you referring to complaints or requests?
4:40 p.m.
Director, Access to Information and Privacy, Correctional Service Canada
We certainly—
4:40 p.m.
Assistant Commissioner, Policy and Research, Correctional Service Canada
The majority is probably inmates.
4:40 p.m.
Conservative
Mike Wallace Conservative Burlington, ON
Okay. Then the majority of them, obviously just by simple math, would be the majority of the complaints on top of that, I'm assuming.
4:40 p.m.
Conservative
Mike Wallace Conservative Burlington, ON
Okay. So from a process point of view, when you get a request, you must meet this 30-day thing on some of them, obviously. Do you know what percentage you meet the 30 days on?
4:40 p.m.
Director, Access to Information and Privacy, Correctional Service Canada
I think right now we're approximately—I haven't looked at the latest figures—in the 50% range.
4:40 p.m.
Conservative
4:40 p.m.
Director, Access to Information and Privacy, Correctional Service Canada
To improve.
4:40 p.m.
Conservative
Mike Wallace Conservative Burlington, ON
But is there a number you're looking to achieve in a year or two years or anything like that?
4:40 p.m.
Director, Access to Information and Privacy, Correctional Service Canada
Well, we certainly want to improve. In the coming year we're going to try to get it up to 60%, and then as we get new staff in and get them trained, hopefully we can turn things around.
