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.
11:50 a.m.
Director, Access to Information and Privacy, Department of Public Works and Government Services
Mr. Togneri reviewed the content of the asset report card, which is a 137-page document, and determined that only one chapter, chapter 11--which is, I believe, a 30-page excerpt from the report--was responsive to the request.
11:50 a.m.
Conservative
Pierre Poilievre Conservative Nepean—Carleton, ON
So he believed that only chapter 11 was necessary to fill the request.
11:50 a.m.
Director, Access to Information and Privacy, Department of Public Works and Government Services
That was the opinion expressed by Mr. Togneri.
11:50 a.m.
Conservative
Pierre Poilievre Conservative Nepean—Carleton, ON
So in light of his remarks, you re-examined the request and determined the appropriate response?
11:50 a.m.
Director, Access to Information and Privacy, Department of Public Works and Government Services
Mr. Togneri's observations were brought forth at the very end of the process, after the documents had been placed in an envelope and left....
11:50 a.m.
Conservative
Pierre Poilievre Conservative Nepean—Carleton, ON
I don't need you to go through all that again. You did review his concern, and.... Is that true?
11:50 a.m.
Director, Access to Information and Privacy, Department of Public Works and Government Services
Could you repeat that?
11:50 a.m.
Conservative
Pierre Poilievre Conservative Nepean—Carleton, ON
You re-examined the request to determine if the response was appropriate? That's all I need to know on that question.
11:50 a.m.
Director, Access to Information and Privacy, Department of Public Works and Government Services
I did not review the entire report to determine whether the entire report was responsive. The department did give consideration to the concerns raised by Mr. Togneri, and a decision was later rendered.
11:50 a.m.
Conservative
11:50 a.m.
Director, Access to Information and Privacy, Department of Public Works and Government Services
The decision rendered was that chapter 11 would be disclosed.
11:50 a.m.
Conservative
Pierre Poilievre Conservative Nepean—Carleton, ON
It would be disclosed. Okay. Great. Thank you. I'm done.
11:50 a.m.
Liberal
11:55 a.m.
Liberal
Wayne Easter Liberal Malpeque, PE
Thank you, Mr. Chair.
Mr. Makichuk, did you have any heads-up of what the parliamentary secretary might be asking at this meeting today?
11:55 a.m.
Director, Access to Information and Privacy, Department of Public Works and Government Services
Can you clarify who the parliamentary secretary is?
11:55 a.m.
Liberal
Wayne Easter Liberal Malpeque, PE
It's Mr. Poilievre--or for that matter, a government representative.
11:55 a.m.
Director, Access to Information and Privacy, Department of Public Works and Government Services
Yes, this morning I received some general questions.
11:55 a.m.
Liberal
Wayne Easter Liberal Malpeque, PE
Okay. Thank you very much. Because the answers to the parliamentary secretary seem, from my view here, to have been read, and that worries me.
In any event, would it be possible for us to receive a copy of those questions that government members might ask, which seem to have landed on your desk ?
11:55 a.m.
Director, Access to Information and Privacy, Department of Public Works and Government Services
Certainly, Mr. Chair.
11:55 a.m.
Liberal
Wayne Easter Liberal Malpeque, PE
Okay, coming back to the Togneri issue, I just want to make sure I have this right.
According to previous questions, this is basically the scenario. The release package was left in the mailroom, ready to be picked up. A request came from exempt staff. Then a decision was made to retrieve it, which it was possible to do. The envelope was retrieved, and then there ended up being a delay of two and a half months. Does that about sum it up, in short?
11:55 a.m.
Director, Access to Information and Privacy, Department of Public Works and Government Services
Yes, that sums it up in short.
11:55 a.m.
Liberal
Wayne Easter Liberal Malpeque, PE
Now, we were told under previous testimony that the information that was then released went down from 139 pages to 30. Is that accurate, roughly?
11:55 a.m.
Director, Access to Information and Privacy, Department of Public Works and Government Services
Yes, that's accurate, roughly.
11:55 a.m.
Liberal
Wayne Easter Liberal Malpeque, PE
Then who changed that information or who made the request that the information to be released be changed?
11:55 a.m.
Director, Access to Information and Privacy, Department of Public Works and Government Services
The original request was initiated by Mr. Togneri.
