Canadian privacy & access decisions

The complainant alleged that the Old Port of Montreal Corporation Inc. improperly withheld information related to the "Autopsy of a Murder" exhibit under several sections of the Access to Information Act. The withheld records included contracts, photographs, and inventory lists. The institution claimed exemptions under paragraphs 18(b) and 18(d) for competitive position and financial interests, subsection 19(1) for personal information, and paragraphs 20(1)(c) and 20(1)(d) for third-party financial impact and negotiations. The Commissioner found that the institution failed to provide sufficient evidence to demonstrate a reasonable expectation of harm for the exemptions under section 18 and 20. Regarding subsection 19(1), the Commissioner determined that the photographs of human remains either did not identify an individual or related to individuals deceased for over 20 years, thus not qualifying as personal information. The complaint was found to be well-founded, and the Commissioner ordered the disclosure of all information at issue.

• Whether s.18(b) ATIA (competitive position of government institutions, negotiations by government institutions) was properly applied
• Whether s.18(d) ATIA (government financial interests, undue benefit to an individual) was properly applied
• Whether s.19(1) ATIA (personal information) was properly applied to photographs of human remains
• Whether s.19(1) ATIA (personal information) was properly applied to signatures (removed from scope)
• Whether s.20(1)(c) ATIA (financial impact on a third party) was properly applied
• Whether s.20(1)(d) ATIA (negotiations by a third party) was properly applied
• Whether the Coroner's office had a right to make representations as a third party under s.35(2)(c) ATIA