Information & Ethics committee  After we receive the program recommendations, we conduct an analysis to ensure that complying with the requirements of the legislation is justified. In other words, the expert provides an explanation as to how this would affect our international relations, for example, and my an

Information & Ethics committee  I have full authority to do so, by virtue of my position as director. I have full delegating authority to deal with all access to information requests.

Information & Ethics committee  No, my assistant directors have the authority as well.

Information & Ethics committee  Well, there's myself and three assistant directors, for a total of four people in my office. Ms. Dubé and the deputy ministers have been delegated the authority as well, but it's really my team that handles requests.

Information & Ethics committee  We work closely with the commissioner's investigators and if additional research is necessary, we get in touch with the program officials involved. We review, and sometimes, re-evaluate, information that is provided to be certain that there isn't any other information that could

Information & Ethics committee  We did have additional operational funds in that fiscal year to have ATIP consultants on hand to help us. In 2007-08, there were 12 positions. This has been a gradual increase in capacity over the years. In 2007-08, there was an increase of 12 permanent resources as well, which

Information & Ethics committee  The truth of the matter is that 30 calendar days gives us 20 or 21 working days. We lose several days. Within the first 24 to 48 hours, the request is examined to ensure that our department is in fact the one that should be responding. Then, the programs within the department th

Information & Ethics committee  I am glad to follow up on that. Yes, absolutely. My former director general, Michael Calcott—I was there at the time—made reference to the necessity to purchase an ATIP imaging system, which was for the ATIP office to be able to move from a paper-based environment to an electro

Information & Ethics committee  I'm happy to respond on behalf of Mr. Cossette. Just to provide some explanation, the bulk of our workload is responding to consultations from other government departments for sections 13 and 15 of the act. It's information that may have been obtained in confidence from a foreig

Information & Ethics committee  At the moment, our department receives about 3,100 requests annually, if you add up all the various kinds of requests. They may be requests made under the Access to Information Act, requests under the Personal Information Protection and Electronic Documents Act, or consultations.

Information & Ethics committee  If I may, I would like to add that, at the moment, we get a request for translated documents only once or twice a year. We can get a translation request for 1,000 pages of documents. I have never seen a situation where the applicant has asked for translations of all the documents

Information & Ethics committee  Right now, as I say--

Information & Ethics committee  It would definitely be a change in policy, and it would be from the centre. Of course, DFAIT--

Information & Ethics committee  The right of access and the right to have something translated is normally exercised through a formal request under ATIP legislation. There would be, at this time, no legal obligation to provide a translation of the thousands of records that are published online.

Information & Ethics committee  It is in the language in which it originated.