Canadian privacy & access decisions

The complainant alleged that the Office of the Auditor General of Canada (OAG) improperly determined that witness statements and documentation supporting a harassment investigation final report were not under its control, thus denying access. The OIC investigated whether the records, though not in the OAG's physical possession, were under its control according to the Supreme Court's interpretation of the Access to Information Act. The OIC considered several factors, including whether the records related to an institutional matter, if the OAG had a legally enforceable right to access them, and if communication of their content required OAG authorization. The OIC found that the records were indeed under the OAG's control. Consequently, the OAG retrieved and processed the records, issuing an interim release to the complainant, who expressed satisfaction. The complaint was found to be well founded.

• Whether records not in physical possession of the institution are under its control
• Whether the records relate to an institutional matter
• Whether the institution has a legally enforceable right of access to the records
• Whether the communication of the content of the records requires the authorization of an officer or employee of an institution
• Whether the institution relied on the records when preparing other government records
• Whether a senior official of the institution should reasonably expect to obtain a copy of the records upon request