Federal (Canada) Privacy Decisions

An institution applied to the Information Commissioner for approval to decline processing an access request from a former employee. The institution argued the request was vexatious, an abuse of the right to access, and made in bad faith due to the requester's previous dismissal and numerous prior requests. The Commissioner found the institution failed to provide sufficient evidence for any of these claims.

• Whether the request was vexatious
• Whether the request constituted an abuse of the right of access
• Whether the request was made in bad faith
• Whether the institution fulfilled its duty to assist

An institution applied to the Information Commissioner for approval to decline to act on an access request, alleging it was vexatious, an abuse of the right to request records, and made in bad faith. The requester was a former employee who had filed multiple previous access requests. The Commissioner found the institution failed to prove the request was vexatious, an abuse of the right of access, or made in bad faith, and also failed to demonstrate it fulfilled its duty to assist the requester. The Commissioner denied the institution's application.

• Whether the access request was vexatious.
• Whether the access request constituted an abuse of the right to access records.
• Whether the access request was made in bad faith.
• Whether the institution fulfilled its duty to assist the requester.