|
Summary
|
|
Order are as follows: On January 21, 1988, the Ministry of Community and Social Services (the "institution") received the following request: "Par la présente et en vertu des droits qui me sont reconnus par la Loi sur l'accès à l'information et à la protection des reseignements personnels de 1987, je demande que vous me fassiez parvenir par la poste copies complètes, lisibles et intelligibles de TOUS les documents de quelque nature que ce soit, y compris notes, rapports, mémos, procès-verbaux, formulaires, lettres, déclarations, résumes, etc, dans TOUS les dossiers, et de tous ceux qui sont à l'exterieur d'un dossier, de votre ministère, de tout organisme dont vous avez la résponsabilité et de tout organisme chargé d'appliquer une loi dont vous avez la responsabilité, où vous possédez des renseignements sur ma personne ou qui me concernent de quelque manière que ce soit." (Institution's Translation) In virtue of the rights guaranteed under the Freedom of Information and Individual Privacy Act, I am hereby requesting that I be forwarded, by mail, complete, legible and intelligible copies of ALL documents, of any type they may be, including notes, reports, memos, minutes, forms, letters, statements, summaries, etc., from EACH and EVERY file, as well as those documents which aren't held in files, containing information on myself or concerning me in any way possible, which your ministry or any agency designated to apply legislation for which you are responsible, has in its possession. By letter dated January 28, 1988, in English, the Freedom of Information Co-ordinator (the "Co-ordinator") acknowledged receipt of the request. On January 28, 1988, the request was forwarded to Mr. R. Nadeau of French Services, Mr. Bob Cooke, Director of Income Maintenance; Mr. R. Gregson, Director of Communications Group and Joanne Campbell, Chair of the Social Assistance Review Board, and Fred Purificati, Area Manager in Peterborough. On February 4, 1988, Mr. Purificati approved complete disclosure of the records related to the requester in the custody of his office and provided the records to the Co-ordinator. On February 9, 1988, Ms Campbell sent all of the records pertaining to the requester held by the Social Assistance Review Board to the Co-ordinator. On February 10, 1988, Mr. Gregson sent all of the records pertaining to the requester which were under his control or custody to the Co-ordinator. By letter to the requester dated February 12, 1988 and sent by courier, the Co-ordinator enclosed all of the above-noted personal information, except information which might be in the control of the Northumberland Department of Social Services. The institution explained that this last-noted information had not been included because the Act does not apply to municipalities at this time. By letter dated February 23, 1988, the Co-ordinator informed the requester that all materials which had been sent to him had been returned to the Co-ordinator's office because the courier service could not deliver to the address which had been given by the requester which was a Post Office box number. The Co-ordinator asked the requester to provide the institution with another address so that delivery by courier could be effected. The institution suggested that, if the requester was unwilling or unable to provide another address, it could deliver the package of documents to its Peterborough office. The requester refused to give another address or to pick up the material, and requested the institution to send the records by ordinary mail, to the Post Office box number. The institution complied with this request. On March 29, 1988, the Co-ordinator received a letter from the requester, in French. This letter was dated March 8, 1988. Included with the letter were several torn-up copies of documents in English which the institution had sent to the requester. The requester noted in this letter that the institution had failed to send him a number of documents, and provided a partial list of such documents, letters and files that he suggested were missing. These documents included correspondence with the Minister's office, with other branches of the institution and with other organizations in Quebec, the Ombudsman, and hearing transcripts. He also requested the regulations concerning retention and destruction of records. In an addendum to his letter to the Ministry dated March 8, which addendum is dated March 20, the appellant made a further request for regulations concerning confidentiality of files. He repeated his request for ALL documents pertaining to him and not just the ones he had specifically mentioned. In addition, he stated that he could prove that other documents existed. By letter dated March 9, 1988, received by my office on March 28, 1988, the requester appealed the response of the institution, stating that the institution had not sent all the information pertaining to him and had also deliberately delayed its partial reply to his request. By letter dated April 7, 1988, I gave notice of the appeal to the institution. I also confirmed receipt of the appeal, to the appellant, in writing. On April 11, 1988, the Institution's Freedom of Information and Privacy Co-ordinator requested the assistance of my office in advising on the institution's obligations in respect of the appellant's March 8, 1988, letter. In particular she wanted to know if a request contained in the letter should be considered a new request, or related to the matters raised in this appeal. Shortly thereafter, a meeting was held between the Co-ordinator and a member of my staff. The staff member advised the Co-ordinator that, in her view, the letter of March 8, 1988, and the addendum dated March 20, 1988 could properly be considered to relate to this appeal. On April 13, 1988, the Co-ordinator sent a letter to the appellant acknowledging receipt of his March 8, 1988 letter. By memorandum of April 18, 1988, the Co-ordinator sent a memo to Ms Campbell, Ms Lovell, Mr. Cooke, Mr. Nadeau, Mr.Purificati, and Mr. Gregson concerning the appellant's letter of March 8, 1988. The Co-ordinator asked them to check their files again to see if they had any further personal information relating to the appellant. On April 20, 1988, Mr. Purificati informed the Co-ordinator that all the information in his custody or control pertaining to the appellant had been forwarded to the Co-ordinator. On April 22, 1988, Ms Campbell of the Social Assistance Review Board confirmed in writing to the Co-ordinator that the appellant had received all of the material pertaining to him in the custody or control of this Board. On April 25, 1988, the Co-ordinator again wrote to the individuals mentioned in paragraph number 15 above, asking them to review their files for further information pursuant to the appellant's letter of March 8, 1988. This was done at the request of my office. On April 27, 1988, pursuant to the appellant's Mar
|