The Information and Privacy Commissioner, Phil Wall, has released his Report 2006-006 under authority of the Access to Information and Protection of Privacy Act. A summary of the report is included below.

To view the report in its entirety, please go to //www.oipc.gov.nl.ca/

Report 2006-006

Report Date: May 1, 2006

Public Body: Department of Municipal and Provincial Affairs

Summary: The applicant applied to the Department of Municipal and Provincial Affairs (the "Department") under the Access to Information and Protection of Privacy Act (the "ATIPPA") for access to the minutes of a meeting between various organizations, including several levels of government. This meeting was held on 11 October 2001 in response to the diversion of aircraft and passengers to Newfoundland and Labrador on 11 September 2001. The department denied access to the minutes in their entirety citing sections 21 (legal advice), 23 (intergovernmental relations) and 30 (personal information) of the ATIPPA. The department was primarily relying on section 23(1)(b) by claiming that the entire record was received in confidence and, therefore, should not be disclosed. The commissioner concluded that the information was not received in confidence as per section 23(1)(b) and recommended that it be disclosed, subject to appropriate severing. The commissioner agreed with the department that a small portion of the record should be withheld as legal advice. The commissioner also recommended that personal information be withheld.

Media contact: Sandy Hounsell, Executive Director (709) 729-6309

2006 05 02                                       2:10 p.m.