Office of the Information and Privacy Commissioner
October 29, 2015

Office of the Information and Privacy Commissioner - Reports Released

The following Reports have been released for the period of September 25, 2015 to October 26, 2015 under authority of the Access to Information and Protection of Privacy Act.
A summary of the Reports are included below.

To view the Reports, please go to www.oipc.nl.ca/commissionersreports.htm

Report: A-2015-003, Women's Policy Office, September 25, 2015

Summary: The Applicant requested from the Women's Policy Office a copy of a 2011 report dealing with sexual exploitation and the sex trade in Newfoundland and Labrador (the "Report"). The Women's Policy Office released the recommendations contained in the report, approximately five pages, to the Applicant but denied access to the remainder of the Report relying on section 37(1) (disclosure harmful to individual or public safety) of the Access to Information and Protection of Privacy Act, 2015. The Applicant filed a Complaint with this Office and the Commissioner found that the Women's Policy Office had not met the burden of proof to withhold the entire Report under section 37(1) and therefore the Commissioner recommended that portions of the Report be released.

Report: A-2015-004, Department of Finance, October 19, 2015

Summary: The Applicant requested from the Department of Finance a copy of an Information Note about a proposal for a casino in the province. The Department, and later also a third party, claimed that much of the information must be withheld under section 39 (disclosure harmful to business interests of a third party). The Commissioner found that the burden of proof had not been met and recommended that the information be disclosed.

Report: A-2015-005, Office of the Chief Information Officer, October 21, 2015

Summary: The Applicant requested from the Office of the Chief Information Officer ("OCIO") invoices relating to the work or expenses of a named contractor for the period of his employment with the OCIO since its formation in 2005. The OCIO provided partial access to the records but withheld some of the information in the records relying on section 39 (disclosure harmful to business interests of a third party) of the Access to Information and Protection of Privacy Act, 2015. The Applicant was not satisfied with the OCIO's response and filed a complaint with this Office. During the investigation of the complaint the Third Party was consulted and objected to the disclosure of the information based on section 39. With respect to section 39, the Commissioner found that the burden of proof had not been met and recommended that the information be released.

Report: A-2015-006, Department of Finance, October 26, 2015

Summary: The Applicant requested from the Department of Finance records on the topic of casinos and casino-style gambling. The Department and third parties claimed that much of the information must be withheld under sections 27 (cabinet confidences), 29 (advice and recommendations) or 39 (disclosure harmful to business interest of a third party). The Commissioner found that the burden of proof had been met in some cases, but not in others, and recommended that some of the withheld information be disclosed.

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Media contact:

Ed Ring Information and Privacy Commissioner 709-729-6309

2015 10 29                              12:40 p.m.