Privacy Act
Annual Report 2007-2008
This publication is available upon request in alternative formats.
This publication is available in PDF and HTML formats on the Internet at http://www.pch.gc.ca/pc-ch/publctn/index-eng.cfm
©Her Majesty the Queen in Right of Canada, (2008). Catalogue No. CH1-1/2-2008E-PDF ISBN: 978-1-100-13384-3
Table of Contents
Introduction
Statistical Report - Privacy Act Requests
Interpretation of the Statistical Report Privacy Act Requests
Time Limitations
Costs
Administrative Practices
Delegation of Authority
Procedures
Reading Room
Briefing Sessions/Information Pamphlet/Website
Preliminary Privacy Impact Assessments and Privacy Impact Assessments
Disclosure of personal information made under 8(2) of the Privacy Act
Data Matching Activities
Personal Information Banks/Classes of personal information
Privacy Working Group
Appendix A Statistical Report
Privacy Act Requests (April 1, 2007 to March 31, 2008)
Appendix B Delegation Order
Canadian Heritage
Annual Report
(April 1, 2007 to March 31, 2008)
Introduction
The information contained in this report pertains to the administration of the Privacy Act within the Department of Canadian Heritage.
The Department of Canadian Heritage is responsible for policies and programs relating to arts, culture, heritage, broadcasting, Canadian identity, multiculturalism, official languages, aboriginal culture and languages, youth, citizens’ participation and sports. More specifically, areas of responsibility include:
- developing Canadian cultural and broadcasting policies; assisting cultural industries and arts and heritage organizations; and encouraging the creation, production, distribution, consumption and preservation of cultural and heritage goods and services;
- fostering Canadians' collective sense of self and promoting civic participation among all members of Canadian society;
- promoting a greater understanding of human rights;
- managing programs and initiatives related to the multicultural character of Canadian society;
- encouraging and developing sports; and
- advancing the equality of status and use of the official languages, and supporting the development of official-language minority communities.
Four (4) ministers with responsibilities related to Canadian Heritage have been appointed within the portfolio of the Minister of Canadian Heritage and Status of Women. They are the Minister of Canadian Heritage, Status of Women and Official Languages and Minister for La Francophonie, the Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Trade and Minister for the Pacific Gateway and the Vancouver-Whistler Olympics, the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs and International Trade and Sport and the Secretary of State for Multiculturalism and Canadian Identity.
Regional operations are the responsibility of five regional offices (Atlantic, Quebec, Ontario, Prairies and Northern and Western).
The responsibility for the administration of the Privacy Act lies within the departmental Corporate Secretary's office. The Access to Information and Privacy Secretariat coordinates all activities related to the legislation within the Department both at headquarters and in the regions.
The following report presents an overview of activities carried out within the Department during the reporting period of April 1, 2007 to March 31, 2008.
Statistical Report - Privacy Act Requests
The appended report (Appendix A) contains detailed statistics on the information requests processed under the Privacy Act.
Interpretation of the Statistical Report Privacy Act Requests
Between April 1, 2007 and March 31, 2008, thirteen (13) formal information requests were received under the Privacy Act. One request was carried forward from the previous reporting period. Twelve (12) of these requests were completed during the reporting period under review. Two (2) requests were carried forward as they were received at the end of the reporting period.
Nine (9) requests resulted in the partial disclosure of the records. The information that was exempted from disclosure was personal information pertaining to other individuals.
The three (3) requests that were included in the “unable to process” category concerned records that did not exist.
Time Limitations
During fiscal year 2007-2008, all requests were processed within the initial 30-day period.
Costs
The costs reported in the statistical report include not only those costs incurred for the processing of information requests, but also those incurred for activities related to the administration of the Act such as the presentation of briefing sessions and the development of policies and procedures.
Formal/Informal Interface
The Department continues to provide the public with information on an informal basis. Information is provided only when the Department is satisfied that the information requested concerns the individual requesting it or where at least one of the conditions outlined in subsection 8(2) of the Act is met.
Complaints/Investigations
No complaints were filed by applicants with the Office of the Privacy Commissioner of Canada during the reporting period under review.
Exempt Banks
The Department maintains no exempt banks.
Administrative Practices
Delegation of Authority
Decision-making responsibility for the application of the various provisions of the Privacy Act is fully delegated to the Departmental Privacy Coordinator.
Procedures
The Access to Information and Privacy Secretariat acts as a central coordinating point for the processing of information requests received under the Privacy Act. As such, the Secretariat maintains data banks and keeps statistical records on requests processed. Requests are received by the Secretariat and forwarded to the appropriate Program for retrieval of the requested records. Program officials retrieve the records and prepare preliminary recommendations concerning their disclosure. These recommendations are reviewed by the Secretariat. The Secretariat assesses the application of the Act and prepares the records for disclosure.
Reading Room
To encourage the public to use existing channels for obtaining departmental information and in response to the requirements of the Act, a “Reading Room” is maintained within the Departmental Library. The content of the reading room is reviewed and updated on a regular basis.
The Reading Room contains publications to assist applicants to identify departmental records (e.g. InfoSource, Departmental File Classification Manuals, etc.) and facilitate the formulation of requests. Copies of InfoSource and of departmental manuals are also available for consultation in departmental regional offices.
Briefing Sessions/Information Pamphlet/Website
To ensure that all employees of the Department are aware of the legislation, an Employee Orientation Session is given periodically. These briefing sessions provide basic information on the provisions of the Privacy Act.
In 2007-2008, seventeen (17) information sessions on the Privacy Act were given to departmental employees in the National Capital Region. As well, two (2) information sessions were held in the Saskatoon and Yellowknife regional offices. In total, two hundred and forty-seven (247) employees attended these sessions.
An information pamphlet is available to employees of the Department, providing them with an overview of the Privacy Act so that they have a general understanding of this Act, the impact that it has on the Department and on their responsibilities with respect to the creation and conservation of departmental records. This pamphlet also describes the policies and procedures that promote efficiency and effectiveness in the collection, use and dissemination of information.
The Access to Information and Privacy Secretariat’s website resides on the Department’s intranet site. The website describes the ATIP Secretariat’s roles and responsibilities and provides information on the Privacy Act and related departmental policies and procedures. The site is continuously being updated and new tools are added.
Preliminary Privacy Impact Assessments and Privacy Impact Assessments
There were no Preliminary Privacy Impact Assessments initiated during the reporting period under review. None were carried forward from the previous year.
Two (2) new Privacy Impact Assessments were initiated during the reporting period under review. They concern the Young Canada Works and the Chinese Head Tax Programs. They are still ongoing. A review of previous Privacy Impact Assessments is underway to ensure that summaries are prepared and published on the Departmental Website. These assessments concerned the Culture.ca and Culture.scope web sites and the Canadian Heritage Information Network Agora and Knowledge Exchange websites.
Disclosure of personal information pursuant to 8(2) of the Privacy Act
There were no disclosures of personal information made during the reporting period under review.
Data Matching Activities
There were no data matching activities during the reporting period under review.
Personal Information Banks / Classes of Personal Information
An extensive review has been initiated of all personal information databases held by the Department to ensure compliance with the Privacy Act. An inventory of these databases is being created and stakeholders are being contacted.
Privacy Working Group
In order to ensure compliance with the Privacy Act, a working group has been established within the Department. This group consists of experts in privacy, security and information technology. Their mandate is to oversee new projects that necessitate personal information collections and to provide strategic advice and recommendations in order to ensure compliance with the Privacy Act and related government policies and procedures.
Appendix A
2007-2008 Statistical Summary: Report on the Privacy Act
Institution: Canadian Heritage
Reporting period: April 1, 2007 to March 31, 2008
| I. Requests under the Privacy Act | |
|---|---|
| Received during reporting period | 13 |
| Outstanding from previous period | 1 |
| Total | 14 |
| Completed during reporting period | 12 |
| Carried forward | 2 |
| II. Disposition of Requests Completed | |
|---|---|
| 1. All disclosed | 0 |
| 2. Disclosed in part | 9 |
| 3. Nothing disclosed (excluded) | 0 |
| 4. Nothing disclosed (exempt) | 0 |
| 5. Unable to process | 3 |
| 6. Abandonned by applicant | 0 |
| 7. Transferred | 0 |
| Total | 12 |
| III. Exemptions invoked | |
|---|---|
| S. / Art. 18(2) | 0 |
| S. / Art. 19(1)(a) | 0 |
| (b) | 0 |
| (c) | 0 |
| (d) | 0 |
| S. / Art. 20 | 0 |
| S. / Art. 21 | 0 |
| S. / Art. 22(1)(a) | 0 |
| (b) | 0 |
| (c) | 0 |
| S. / Art. 22(2) | 0 |
| S. / Art. 23(a) | 0 |
| (b) | 0 |
| S. / Art. 24 | 0 |
| S. / Art. 25 | 0 |
| S. / Art. 26 | 9 |
| S. / Art. 27 | 0 |
| S. / Art. 28 | 0 |
| IV. Exclusions cited | |
|---|---|
| S. / Art. 69(1)(a) | 0 |
| (b) | 0 |
| S. / Art. 70(1)(a) | 0 |
| (b) | 0 |
| (c) | 0 |
| (d) | 0 |
| (e) | 0 |
| (f) | 0 |
| V. Completion time | |
|---|---|
| 30 days or under | 12 |
| 31 to 60 days | 0 |
| 61 to 120 days | 0 |
| 121 days or over | 0 |
| VI. Extensions | ||
|---|---|---|
| 30 days or under | 31 days or over | |
| Interference with operations | 0 | 0 |
| Consultation | 0 | 0 |
| Translation | 0 | 0 |
| Total | 0 | 0 |
| VII. Translations | ||
|---|---|---|
| Translations requested | 0 | |
| Translations prepared | English to French | 0 |
| French to English | 0 | |
| VIII. Method of access | |
|---|---|
| Copies given | 9 |
| Examination | 0 |
| Copies and examination | 0 |
| IX. Corrections and notation | |
|---|---|
| Corrections requested | 0 |
| Corrections made | 0 |
| Notation attached | 0 |
| X. Costs | |
|---|---|
| Financial (all reasons) | |
| Salary | 4928.81 |
| Administration (O and M) | 1007.81 |
| Total | 5936.62 |
| Person year utilization (all reasons) | |
| Person year (decimal format) | .10 |
Appendix B Delegation Order
| CANADIAN HERITAGE | SPENDING AUTHORITY | OTHER AUTHORITIES | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| EXPENDITURE INITIATION Section 32 FAA - Commitment Authority | Section 34 FAA Contract Performance | Section 33 FAA Payment Authority | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| DELEGATED FINANCIAL SIGNING AUTHORITIES CHART | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Salaries & Other Personnel Costs | Recognition | Travel | Relocation | Isolated Posts | Training and Development | Hospitality | Conferences | Memberships | Standing Advances | Approval of Grants and Contributions | Grant or Contribution Agreements | Refunds of Revenue | Claims by and against the Crown | Ex Gratia Payments | Other Goods and Services | Travel, Relocation and Hospitality Claims | Grants and Contributions | Salaries & Other Personnel Costs | Other Goods and Services | Leases and licences (Crown as tenant) | Loan Agreement (Materiel/Artifacts/Objects) | Losses of Money | Approve Debt Write-Off | Request or Acceptance of Set-Offs | Write-Off Materiel | Interest & Admin Charges Waiver | Access to Information and Privacy | TB Submissions & other related Documents | ||||
| Position Level | POSITION TITLE | AREA OF AUTHORITY | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 | 21 | 22 | 23 | 24 | 25 | 26 | 27 | 28 | 29 | 30 | |||
| 1 | Deputy Minister/Associate Deputy Minister | Department | F | F | F | F | F | F | F | F | F | F | F | F | F | F | F | F | F | F | F | F | F | F | F | F | F | F | F | F | F | F |
| 2 | Assistant Deputy Minister/Associate Assistant Deputy Minister/Senior Advisor to the Deputy Minister or equivalent manager reporting to level 1 | Assigned Funds Centre(s)/Cost Centre(s) | F | F | F | F | F | F | F | F | F | 3 | F | F | F | F | F | F | F | F | F | F | F | F | ||||||||
| 3 | Regional Executive Director | Region | F | F | F | F | F | F | F | F | F | 3 | F | F | F | F | F | F | F | F | F | F | F | F | F | F | F | F | ||||
| 3 | Director General/General Counsel or equivalent manager reporting to level 2 | Assigned Funds Centre(s)/Cost Centre(s) | F | F | F | F | F | F | F | F | F | F | F | F | F | F | F | F | F | F | F | F | ||||||||||
| 3 | Chief Operating Officer for CHIN and CCI | Agency | F | F | F | F | F | F | F | F | F | F | F | F | F | F | F | F | F | F | F | F | ||||||||||
| 4 | Director/Manager or equivalent manager reporting to level 3 | Assigned Funds Centre(s)/Cost Centre(s) | F | F | F | F | F | F | F | F | F | F | F | F | F | F | F | F | F | F | ||||||||||||
| 5 | Chief/Head or equivalent manager reporting to level 4 | Assigned Funds Centre(s)/Cost Centre(s) | F | F | F | F | F | F | F | F | F | F | F | F | F | |||||||||||||||||
| 6 | Supervisor/Senior Officer or equivalent manager reporting to level 5 | Assigned Funds Centre(s)/Cost Centre(s) | F | F | F | F | F | F | F | F | F | |||||||||||||||||||||
| 7 | Administrative Officer/Executive Assistant orequivalent position reporting to any level | Assigned Funds Centre(s)/Cost Centre(s) | 10 | 10 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| SPECIAL AUTHORITIES | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Senior Financial Officer (SFO) | Department | F | F | F | F | F | F | F | F | F | F | F | F | F | ||||||||||||||||||
| Senior Full-time Financial Officer (SFFO) | Department | F | F | F | F | F | F | F | F | F | F | F | F | F | ||||||||||||||||||
| Director General, Sport Canada | Assigned Funds Centre(s)/Cost Centre(s) | F | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Director General, Human Resources and Workplace Management (HRWM) | Department | F | F | F | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Corporate Secretary | Department | F | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Executive Director, Centre of Expertise for Grants and Contributions | Department | F | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Director, Accounting Operations, Financial Policies & Systems | Department | F | F | F | F | F | F | F | F | F | F | F | ||||||||||||||||||||
| Director, Labour Relations, Compensation and Well-being (HRWM) | Department | F | F | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Director, Materiel Management & Contracting Services | Department | F | F | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Director, Access to Information and Privacy Secretariat | Department | F | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Manager, Compensation and Benefits (HRWM) | Department | F | F | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Chief, Departmental Accounting | Department | F | F | F | F | F | F | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Manager, NCR Client Services | Department | F | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Director, Corporate Services or equivalent position | Region | F | F | F | F | F | F | F | F | F | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| Financial Officer | Region | F | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| RECOMMENDED BY: | APPROVED BY: | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Original signed by Judith A. LaRocque on August 20, 2007 | Original signed by Josée Verner on August 21, 2007 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Deputy Minister | Minister | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Notes:
1. This Chart must be read in conjunction with the Notes to the Delegated Financial Signing Authorities Chart and Appendix A, which defines terms/conditions and financial limitations to the Delegated Financial Signing Authorities.
2. The letter "F" means that the position has been delegated full authorities subject to specific authorities and dollar limitations as described in Appendix A for the corresponding column.
3. Where dollar amounts are specified, e.g., 1 = $1,000, these amounts cannot be exceeded. In addition, a blank cell means that no authority has been granted.