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Info Source Bulletin Number 28


A. Introduction

Info Source: Access to Information Act and Privacy Act Bulletin

This annually updated Info Source Bulletin contains Statistical Tables reflecting the number of Access to Information and Privacy requests by institutions within the federal government on an annual basis and cumulative statistics since 1983. It also contains summaries of 2004–2005 federal court cases related to the Access to Information Act and the Privacy Act.

B. Information on the Government of Canada

The following telephone numbers are for the Government of Canada's bilingual, toll-free service. They can be used to obtain general information and referrals for programs and services.

Toll-free 1 800 O-Canada (1-800-622
TTY/TDD 1-800-465-7735

Canada Web Site

Web site www.canada.gc.ca

The Canada Site provides a single electronic access point to general information about Canada, the federal government, its programs and services. The Canada Site features three gateways to quickly access information: Canadians, Canadian Business and Non-Canadians. These gateways organize content around the needs of users rather than by departmental responsibility.

C. About Info Source

Info Source is a series of publications containing information about and/or collected by the Government of Canada. The primary purpose of Info Source is to assist members of the public and federal employees in exercising their rights under the Access to Information Act (ATIA) and the Privacy Act (PA). Info Source also supports the government's policy to explain and promote open and accessible information regarding its activities. In essence, Info Source upholds the transparency and accountability of the federal government to Canadians.

There are four Info Source publications:

Info Source: Sources of Federal Government Information:

  • provides information about the Government of Canada, its organization and its information holdings.
  • helps individuals determine which institution to contact to make enquiries.
  • provides individuals who are not, and who have never been employees of the federal government with relevant information to facilitate access to personal information held about them by any federal government institutions subject to the Privacy Act.

Info Source: Sources of Federal Employee Information:

  • contains information to help current and former federal government employees to locate personal information held by the government.
  • is intended to help former and current government employees to exercise their rights under the Privacy Act.

Info Source: Directory of Federal Government Enquiry Points:

  • contains addresses and telephone numbers for federal departments and agencies subject to the Access to Information Act and/or the Privacy Act.
  • Other institutions associated with the federal government are included to facilitate access.

Info Source: The Access to Information Act and Privacy Act Bulletin:

  • provides Statistical Tables reflecting the number of Access to Information and Privacy requests on an annual basis and cumulative statistics since 1983.
  • contains a summary of federal court cases related to the Access to Information Act and the Privacy Act

Info Source is distributed to libraries, municipal offices and federal government offices across Canada.

D. Roles and Responsibilities

Treasury Board Secretariat

In accordance with the Access to Information Act, Treasury Board is responsible for the annual creation and dissemination of a publication that provides a description of government organizations, program responsibilities and classes of records with sufficient clarity and detail to enable the public to exercise its rights under the Access to Information Act.

Treasury Board is also responsible for the annual publication of an index of personal information that will both serve to keep the public information of how the government handles personal information, as well as facilitating the public's ability to exercise its rights under the Privacy Act.

Treasury Board Secretariat fulfils these requirements through the annually updated publication of Info Source.

Individual Institutions

Government institutions are required to provide their updated information to Treasury Board Secretariat on an annual basis. This information is utilized in the production of the publications required by the Access to Information Act and Privacy Act. Consequently, each department and agency is completely responsible for the information it submits.

E. Additional Information

For more information about Info Source, the Access to Information Act or the Privacy Act, you may contact:

Treasury Board of Canada Secretariat
L'Esplanade Laurier, 8th Floor, East Tower
140 O'Connor Street
Ottawa, Ontario  K1A 0R5

General Enquiries (613) 957-2400
Publications (613) 995-2855
Fax (613) 996-0518
TTY (613) 957-9090
General Library Reference (613) 996-5494
E-mail infosource@tbs-sct.gc.ca
Treasury Board Web Site www.tbs-sct.gc.ca

If you would like a copy of Info Source: Directory of Federal Government Enquiry Points or the Info Source: Access to Information Act and Privacy Bulletin, please contact:

Treasury Board Distribution Centre
L'Esplanade Laurier, Room P-140, Level P-1W
300 Laurier Avenue West
Ottawa, Ontario  K1A 0R5

Telephone (613) 995-2855
Fax (613) 996-0518
E-mail Services-Distribution@tbs-sct.gc.ca

If you would like to purchase a copy of Info Source: Sources of Federal Government Information or Info Source: Sources of Federal Employee Information, please contact:

Publishing and Depository Services
Public Works and Government Services Canada
Ottawa, Ontario  K1A 0S5

E-mail publications@pwgsc.gc.ca
Telephone (613) 941-5995
Telephone (toll-free) 1-800-635-7943 (Canada and US)
Fax (613) 954-5779
Fax (toll-free) 1-800-565-7757 (Canada and US)
Web site http://publications.gc.ca

All four Info Source publications are available free of charge at: www.infosource.gc.ca.