Evidence of meeting #51 for Access to Information, Privacy and Ethics in the 44th Parliament, 1st session. (The original version is on Parliament’s site, as are the minutes.) The winning word was amendment.
A recording is available from Parliament.
Conservative
Michael Barrett Conservative Leeds—Grenville—Thousand Islands and Rideau Lakes, ON
That's from a total of how many?
Director General, Corporate Secretary, Department of Foreign Affairs, Trade and Development
It's from a total of...fully staffed, we would be at 69, but at the moment, I think we have 41 or 42 indeterminate staff. It's 42.
Conservative
Michael Barrett Conservative Leeds—Grenville—Thousand Islands and Rideau Lakes, ON
Wow. Okay.
Thank you.
Director General, Access to Information and Privacy, Royal Canadian Mounted Police
Yes. The RCMP has contracts with two consulting firms for a total of about 12 consultants. Our total FTE count is around 70 FTEs, and our final funded amount is just over 100. It's about 110 FTEs.
Conservative
Michael Barrett Conservative Leeds—Grenville—Thousand Islands and Rideau Lakes, ON
It's just GAC and the RCMP.
Are all of the consultants based in Canada?
Director General, Corporate Secretary, Department of Foreign Affairs, Trade and Development
Yes.
Director General, Access to Information and Privacy, Royal Canadian Mounted Police
It's the same for the RCMP.
Conservative
Michael Barrett Conservative Leeds—Grenville—Thousand Islands and Rideau Lakes, ON
Are the names of the consultants...? They would be sourced through a consulting firm, not as individuals, I'd imagine.
Director General, Corporate Secretary, Department of Foreign Affairs, Trade and Development
All are with firms. Yes.
Director General, Access to Information and Privacy, Royal Canadian Mounted Police
It's the same here: it's through the two firms previously mentioned.
Conservative
Michael Barrett Conservative Leeds—Grenville—Thousand Islands and Rideau Lakes, ON
Are the names of those firms available? That would have been done through a public procurement process, so are you able to tell us what the names of the firms are?
Director General, Corporate Secretary, Department of Foreign Affairs, Trade and Development
Could you tell us offhand, Alexandre?
Alexandre Drago Director, Access to Information and Privacy, Department of Foreign Affairs, Trade and Development
Yes, we are working with Altis and CANADEM.
Conservative
Director General, Access to Information and Privacy, Royal Canadian Mounted Police
For the RCMP, I can confirm that we're also working with Altis.
Forgive me; I don't have the second contract off the top of my head, and so I'll have to get back to the committee. My apologies.
Conservative
Michael Barrett Conservative Leeds—Grenville—Thousand Islands and Rideau Lakes, ON
I appreciate your offer to get it to the committee. Thank you.
In the Privy Council Office, who would decide which information is confidential and redacted? Is that a responsibility that's shared, or is it the responsibility of one person that can be delegated? If so, who is the responsible individual?
Executive Director, Access to Information and Privacy and Executive Correspondence Services, Privy Council Office
At the PCO, it's a shared delegation between the ATIP office, the delegated authorities and subject matter experts in the department.
Conservative
Michael Barrett Conservative Leeds—Grenville—Thousand Islands and Rideau Lakes, ON
Okay, so it could vary depending on the request?
Executive Director, Access to Information and Privacy and Executive Correspondence Services, Privy Council Office
Yes.
Conservative
Michael Barrett Conservative Leeds—Grenville—Thousand Islands and Rideau Lakes, ON
Okay.
How often, as a percentage—I'm not sure how best to be able to quantify it—would you cite cabinet confidences in your returns of ATIP requests?
Executive Director, Access to Information and Privacy and Executive Correspondence Services, Privy Council Office
I don't have the numbers in front of me.
Conservative
Michael Barrett Conservative Leeds—Grenville—Thousand Islands and Rideau Lakes, ON
Are those data and stats that you keep?
Executive Director, Access to Information and Privacy and Executive Correspondence Services, Privy Council Office
Yes.
Conservative
Michael Barrett Conservative Leeds—Grenville—Thousand Islands and Rideau Lakes, ON
Is that something you'd be able to provide to the committee when you return to your office?
Executive Director, Access to Information and Privacy and Executive Correspondence Services, Privy Council Office
Yes, we could do that.