Evidence of meeting #17 for Access to Information, Privacy and Ethics in the 40th Parliament, 3rd Session. (The original version is on Parliament’s site, as are the minutes.) The winning word was requests.
A recording is available from Parliament.
12:55 p.m.
Donald Lemieux Executive Director, Information, Privacy and Security Policy, Treasury Board Secretariat
Thank you, Mr. Chairman.
I just want to make sure that the question is about meetings with ministers' offices, and whether anything has changed recently.
12:55 p.m.
Bloc
Louis Plamondon Bloc Bas-Richelieu—Nicolet—Bécancour, QC
My question is about the fact that Ms. Brennan said that her office had received new directives three or four months ago as to how the process should operate. I asked whether this process was the same as before. She replied that Mr. Lemieux could give a more accurate answer.
12:55 p.m.
Executive Director, Information, Privacy and Security Policy, Treasury Board Secretariat
I will be specific, because I don't have much time.
There is nothing new: we are following best practices. These practices were already in place.
As for meetings with ministers' offices, this is not specifically addressed in the legislation—I think you alluded to this. There is nothing in the act which allows for this. We are following a process which typically applies to potentially delicate matters.
12:55 p.m.
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Paul Szabo
Thank you.
Colleagues, our time has run out and we haven't been able to get to the committee reports. I will report on the subcommittee at the next opportunity.
I would ask each of the colleagues to consider a dilemma the chair has. I haven't got instruction since, but I have on three occasions written on your behalf to the Minister of Justice, who's responsible for both the Access to Information Act and the Privacy Act, to appear before us with regard to our reports that we actually filed in the last session. Verbally, I have approached the minister in the House three times as well. The last letter, though, went out May 13, and I still have not had a response from the minister. So I would like the members to consider recommending some course of action to the chair for the next meeting, if that's okay with you.
All right? Good, I'll leave it at that.
To all of the witnesses, thank you kindly. I hope you felt comfortable with the committee and certainly that you were treated appropriately by the committee. Thank you for your forthrightness in responding.
We are now adjourned.