Department of Justice Canada (Re), 2023 OIC 29

The complainant alleged that the Department of Justice Canada did not conduct a reasonable search for a 2009 workplace report. The Department stated that the record's retention period was five years and it was requested seven years later, meaning it would have been destroyed. While the complainant claimed the consultant still had a copy, the Department argued it was not reasonable to contact the consultant directly given the nature and age of the contract. The OIC agreed that the Department conducted a reasonable search.

• Did the institution conduct a reasonable search for the requested records?
• Whether the institution was required to contact the consultant directly to fulfill the request.