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Nunavut’s access to information law needs to be updated, says Information and Privacy Commissioner

ᐃᓱᒪᒋᓇᒍ ᑲᔪᓰᓐᓇᖅᑐᓂ ᐊᒻᒪ ᐊᒡᕕᐊᕈᑕᐅᖏᓐᓇᖅᑐᓂ ᓄᓇᕘᑉ ᐊᑐᐃᓐᓇᖃᕐᓂᖓᓂ ᑐᓴᐅᒪᔾᔪᑎᓕᕆᓂᕐᒧᑦ ᑲᙳᓇᖅᑐᓕᕆᓂᕐᒧᓪᓗ ᑲᒥᓴᓇᖓᓂ (ATIPP) ᐱᓕᕆᔾᔪᓯᖓᓂ, ᐃᖏᕐᕋᓂᖅᑕᖃᖅᐳᖅ ᐃᓚᖏᓐᓂ ᐱᓕᕆᕝᕕᐅᔪᓂ ᐃᓗᐊᓂ ᓄᓇᕗᒻᒥ ᒐᕙᒪᒃᑯᓐᓂ (GN), ᐅᖃᖅᐳᖅ ᒍᕋᐃᔭᒻ ᓯᑏᐅᓪ, ᓄᓇᕘᑉ ᑐᓴᐅᒪᔾᔪᑎᓕᕆᓂᕐᒧᑦ ᑲᙳᓇᖅᑐᓕᕆᓂᕐᒧᓪᓗ ᑲᒥᓴᓇᖓ ᑎᑎᕋᕐᕕᖓᑕ ᐊᕐᕌᒍᑕᒫᖅᓯᐅᑎᒥ ᐅᓂᒃᑳᓕᐊᖓᓂ.
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Nunavut’s Legislative Assembly. The territory’s Information and Privacy Commissioner says there is still work needed to be done despite some bright spots. NNSL file photo ᓄᓇᕘᑉ ᒪᓕᒐᓕᐅᕐᕕᖓ. ᓄᓇᕘᑉ ᑐᓴᐅᒪᔾᔪᑎᓕᕆᓂᕐᒧᑦ ᑲᙳᓇᖅᑐᓕᕆᓂᕐᒧᓪᓗ ᑲᒥᓴᓇ ᖓ ᐅᖃᖅᐳᖅ ᓱᓕ ᐱᓕᕆᐊᒃᓴᖃᖅᐳᖅ ᐃᓱᒪᒋᓇᒍ ᖃᐅᒪᕐᔪᐊᕐᓂᐅᔪᓂ .

(English to follow)

ᐃᓱᒪᒋᓇᒍ ᑲᔪᓰᓐᓇᖅᑐᓂ ᐊᒻᒪ ᐊᒡᕕᐊᕈᑕᐅᖏᓐᓇᖅᑐᓂ ᓄᓇᕘᑉ ᐊᑐᐃᓐᓇᖃᕐᓂᖓᓂ ᑐᓴᐅᒪᔾᔪᑎᓕᕆᓂᕐᒧᑦ ᑲᙳᓇᖅᑐᓕᕆᓂᕐᒧᓪᓗ ᑲᒥᓴᓇᖓᓂ (ATIPP) ᐱᓕᕆᔾᔪᓯᖓᓂ, ᐃᖏᕐᕋᓂᖅᑕᖃᖅᐳᖅ ᐃᓚᖏᓐᓂ ᐱᓕᕆᕝᕕᐅᔪᓂ ᐃᓗᐊᓂ ᓄᓇᕗᒻᒥ ᒐᕙᒪᒃᑯᓐᓂ (GN), ᐅᖃᖅᐳᖅ ᒍᕋᐃᔭᒻ ᓯᑏᐅᓪ, ᓄᓇᕘᑉ ᑐᓴᐅᒪᔾᔪᑎᓕᕆᓂᕐᒧᑦ ᑲᙳᓇᖅᑐᓕᕆᓂᕐᒧᓪᓗ ᑲᒥᓴᓇᖓ ᑎᑎᕋᕐᕕᖓᑕ ᐊᕐᕌᒍᑕᒫᖅᓯᐅᑎᒥ ᐅᓂᒃᑳᓕᐊᖓᓂ.

“ᐋᓐᓂᐊᖃᕐᓇᙱᑦᑐᓕᕆᔨᒃᑯᑦ ᓄᓇᕗᒻᒥ ᒐᕙᒪᒃᑯᓐᓄᑦ ᓯᕗᓕᐅᖅᑎᐅᖏᓐᓇᖅᐳᑦ ᐊᑐᐃᓐᓇᖃᕐᓂᖓᓂ ᑐᓴᐅᒪᔾᔪᑎᓕᕆᓂᕐᒧᑦ ᑲᙳᓇᖅᑐᓕᕆᓂᕐᒧᓪᓗ ᑲᒥᓴᓇᖓᓐᓂ. ᑐᖅᑯᖅᑕᐅᓯᒪᔪᑦ ᑎᑎᕋᖅᑕᐅᓯᒪᔪᑦ ᑲᒪᒋᔭᐅᑦᑎᐊᖅᐳᑦ ᐅᓂᒃᑳᕆᓯᒪᑦᑎᐊᖅᖢᑎᒃ ᐊᒻᒪᓗ ᐃᓱᓕᕝᕕᒃᓴᖓᓂ ᐅᓪᓗᖏᓐᓂ,” ᑎᑎᕋᓚᐅᖅᐳᖅ ᓯᑏᐅᓪ. “ᑕᒻᒪᕐᓂᖃᓲᖑᕗᖅ, ᓲᖃᐃᒻᒪ, ᐱᓕᕆᕝᕕᐅᑉ ᐊᐅᓚᑕᐅᓂᖏᑦ ᖃᔅᓯᒐᓚᖕᓂ-ᓵᙵᓂᖃᕐᒪᑕ; ᑭᓯᐊᓂ ᐱᓕᕆᕝᕕᒃ ᓈᓚᓲᖑᕗᖅ ᐊᒻᒪ ᐃᓕᑦᑎᕙᒃᖢᑎᒃ, ᐊᒻᒪ ᐱᐅᓯᒋᐊᖅᑎᑦᑏᓐᓇᕋᓱᐊᓲᖑᕗᑦ,” ᐃᓚᒋᐊᖅᓯᓚᐅᖅᐳᖅ.

ᐱᐅᔪᒥ ᐊᑐᐃᓐᓇᖃᕐᓂᖓᓂ ᑐᓴᐅᒪᔾᔪᑎᓕᕆᓂᕐᒧᑦ ᑲᙳᓇᖅᑐᓕᕆᓂᕐᒧᓪᓗ ᑲᒥᓴᓇᒧᑦ ᐱᓕᕆᓂᐅᔪᒥ ᑕᑯᔭᐅᓯᒪᒋᕗᖅ ᐃᓄᑐᐃᓐᓇᕐᓂ ᐃᓕᖅᑯᓯᓕᕆᓂᕐᒥ ᐃᑦᑕᕐᓂᓴᓕᕆᓂᕐᒧᓪᓗ, ᒪᓕᒐᓕᕆᔨᓂᑦ, ᐊᒻᒪᓗᑦᑕᐅᖅ ᓄᓇᕗᒻᒥ ᐅᑭᐅᖅᑕᖅᑐᒥ ᓯᓚᑦᑐᖅᓴᕐᕕᖕᒥ. ᓯᑏᐅᓪ ᐃᓚᒋᐊᖅᓯᕗᖅ ᓄᓇᕗᒻᒥ ᒐᕙᒪᒃᑯᑦ ᐱᓕᕆᔪᓐᓇᕐᓂᖓᓂ ᐃᑲᔪᖅᓱᐃᓂᕐᒥ ᓇᖕᒥᓂᖓᓐᓂ ᐊᑐᐃᓐᓇᖃᕐᓂᖓᓂ ᑐᓴᐅᒪᔾᔪᑎᓕᕆᓂᕐᒧᑦ ᑲᙳᓇᖅᑐᓕᕆᓂᕐᒧᓪᓗ ᑲᒥᓴᓇᒧᑦ ᐱᓕᕆᔨᐅᔪᓂ.

ᓄᑖᙳᕆᐊᖅᑐᒥ ᐱᔪᒪᓂᐅᔪᒥ ᐅᐸᒃᑎᑦᑎᓂᕐᒧᑦ ᕼᐋᒻᓚᐅᔪᓂ ᐅᕘᓇ ᐊᑐᐃᓐᓇᖃᕐᓂᖓᓂ ᑐᓴᐅᒪᔾᔪᑎᓕᕆᓂᕐᒧᑦ ᑲᙳᓇᖅᑐᓕᕆᓂᕐᒧᓪᓗ ᑲᒥᓴᓇᒧᑦ ᒪᓕᒐᕐᒧᑦ ᓇᓗᓇᐃᖅᑕᐅᓚᐅᕆᕗᖅ ᐅᓂᒃᑳᓕᐊᒥ, ᑭᒡᓕᖃᖅᑐᒥ ᐃᑲᔪᕈᑎᒃᓴᖃᖅᖢᑎᒃ ᑕᒪᒃᑭᒐᓚᖕᓂ ᓄᓇᕗᒻᒥ ᕼᐋᒻᓚᐅᔪᓂ, ᓄᓇᓕᖕᓂ ᒐᕙᒪᒃᑯᓐᓄᓪᓗ ᐱᔨᑦᑎᕋᖅᑎᐅᔪᓄᑦ ᑐᓂᓯᓂᕐᒥ ᐱᔭᕆᐊᓕᖕᒥ ᐃᑲᔪᖅᓯᖅᑕᐅᓂᐅᔪᒥ.

ᑲᒥᓴᓇ ᐅᖃᖅᐳᖅ ᐱᐅᓪᓗᓂ ᑐᕌᖅᑕᐅᓇᓱᐊᖅᐳᖅ, ᑭᓯᐊᓂ “ᑲᒪᒋᔭᐅᑦᑎᐊᕆᐊᖃᖅᐳᖅ. ᓄᓇᕘᑉ ᕼᐋᒻᓚᖏᑦ ᒥᑭᑦᑑᑕᐅᕗᑦ ᐊᒻᒪ ᐃᑲᔪᕈᑎᒃᓴᖏᑦ ᑭᒡᓕᖃᖅᐳᑦ. ᐋᖅᑭᒃᓯᔪᒪᙱᓚᒍᑦ ᕼᐋᒻᓚᐅᔪᓂ ᐱᓕᕆᑦᑎᐊᙱᓐᓂᐅᔪᒧᑦ.”

ᑕᒪᑐᒪᓂ ᐊᕐᕌᒎᔪᒥ 21-ᓂ ᕿᒥᕐᕈᔭᐅᓂᖓᓂ ᐅᓂᒃᑳᓕᐅᕐᓂᖃᓚᐅᖅᐳᖅ ᑲᒥᓴᓇᐅᑉ ᑎᑎᕋᕐᕕᖓᓂ, ᑕᐅᑐᒃᖢᒍ 27-ᖑᔪᓂ 2020-21-ᒥ.

ᓱᓕ ᐱᑕᖃᐃᓐᓇᖅᑐᓂ ᐃᓱᒫᓘᑎᑕᖃᐃᓐᓇᖅᐳᖅ ᐱᔾᔪᑎᖃᖅᑐᒥ ᓄᓇᕗᒻᒥ ᒐᕙᒪᒃᑯᑦ ᐊᑐᙱᓐᓂᖏᓐᓂ ᐃᓱᒪᖅᓲᑕᐅᓗᑎᒃ, ᐅᕙᓂ ᐱᓕᕆᓂᐅᔪᒥ ᐱᓕᕆᕝᕕᐅᔪᑦ ᓱᓕ ᑐᓂᓯᑦᑕᐃᓕᒪᓂᕐᒥ ᑐᓴᒐᒃᓴᒃᑲᓐᓂᕐᓂ ᐃᓄᓕᒫᓂ ᐱᔭᕆᐊᖃᕐᓂᖓᓂ.

“ᑕᒪᒃᑭᒐᓚᖕᓂ ᐱᓕᕆᓂᐅᔪᓂ, ᓄᓇᕗᒻᒥ ᒐᕙᒪᒃᑯᑦ ᓴᖅᑭᑎᑦᑎᒃᑲᓐᓂᕈᓐᓇᖅᐳᑦ ᑐᓴᒐᒃᓴᒃᑲᓐᓂᕐᓂ ᒥᑭᓛᖓᓂᐅᙱᑦᑐᖅ. ᑕᒪᓐᓇ ᑐᑭᖃᖅᐳᖅ ‘ᐊᑐᕐᓂᕐᒥ ᐃᓱᒪᖅᓲᑕᐅᓗᓂ’: ᐃᓱᒪᖅᓱᕐᓂᖏᓐᓂ ᓴᖅᑭᑎᑦᑎᓂᕐᒥ ᑐᓴᒐᒃᓴᓂ ᐱᔪᓐᓇᕐᓂᓕᒫᖏᓐᓂ,” ᓯᑏᐅᓪ ᑎᑎᕋᓚᐅᖅᐳᖅ.

ᑭᖑᓂᐊᒍᑦ ᐅᓂᒃᑳᓕᐊᒥ ᐅᖃᓚᐅᖅᐳᖅ ᓇᓗᓇᐃᖅᓯᓂᕐᒥ ᑎᑎᕋᕐᕕᐅᑉ ᓯᕗᓪᓕᐅᔾᔭᐅᖁᔭᐅᔪᓂ ᓯᕗᓂᒃᓴᒧᑦ, ᐃᓚᖃᖅᑐᒥ ᐃᓚᒋᐊᖅᓯᓂᕐᒥ ᐊᑐᐃᓐᓇᖃᕐᓂᖓᓂ ᑐᓴᐅᒪᔾᔪᑎᓕᕆᓂᕐᒧᑦ ᑲᙳᓇᖅᑐᓕᕆᓂᕐᒧᓪᓗ ᑲᒥᓴᓇᐅᑉ ᒪᓕᒐᖓᓐᓂ ᐱᔪᓐᓇᕐᓂᖃᖅᑎᑕᐅᓗᓂ ᓴᖅᑭᑎᑦᑎᓂᕐᒥ ᑎᑎᖅᑲᖁᑕᐅᔪᓂ.

“ᑕᒪᓐᓇ ᐃᒪᐃᑦᑐᓐᓇᖅᐳᖅ ᐊᒻᒪ ᐱᓕᕆᐊᖑᑲᐅᑎᒋᓪᓗᐊᖅᐳᖅ ᐃᕐᙲᓐᓇᑲᐅᑎᒋ. ᓇᑉᐸᓪᓗᐊᖓᓂ ᑲᓇᑕᒥ ᐱᔪᓐᓇᕐᓂᖃᕐᓂᖏᑦ ᐱᖄᓂᒃᐳᑦ ᐆᒥᖓ ᐱᔪᓐᓇᕐᓂᕆᔭᐅᔪᒥ. ᓄᓇᑦᓯᐊᖅ ᑕᐃᒪᐃᓚᐅᖅᐳᖅ ᐊᕐᕌᓂ.”

ᐋᓐᓂᐊᖃᕐᓇᙱᑦᑐᓕᕆᓂᕐᒧᑦ-ᑐᕌᖓᔪᓄᑦ ᑐᓴᒐᒃᓴᓂ ᒪᓕᒐᖏᓐᓂ ᑭᐳᒦᓪᓗᐊᕆᕗᑦᑕᐅᖅ, ᓯᑏᐅᓪ ᐃᓚᒋᐊᖅᓯᕗᖅ, ᐅᖃᖅᖢᓂ ᒫᓐᓇᐅᔪᒥ ᐱᓕᕆᔾᔪᓯᐅᔪᖅ ᐋᖅᑭᒃᓯᒪᙱᒻᒪᑦ ᐱᓕᕆᓂᕐᒥ ᓇᓗᓇᖅᑐᒻᒪᕆᐊᓘᓂᖓᓂ ᐋᓐᓂᐊᖃᕐᓇᙱᑦᑐᓕᕆᓂᕐᒥ ᐱᓕᕆᔾᔪᓯᐅᔪᒥ.

ᐊᓯᖏᓐᓂ ᓯᕗᓪᓕᐅᔾᔭᐅᖁᔭᐅᔪᓂ ᐃᓚᖃᖅᐳᖅ ᐃᓚᒋᐊᖅᓯᓂᕐᒥ ᓯᕗᓪᓕᖅᐸᐅᔪᒥ-ᐃᓕᖅᑯᓯᖃᑎᒌᖑᔪᓂ ᐊᑐᐃᓐᓇᖃᕐᓂᖓᓂ ᑐᓴᐅᒪᔾᔪᑎᓕᕆᓂᕐᒧᑦ ᑲᙳᓇᖅᑐᓕᕆᓂᕐᒧᓪᓗ ᑲᒥᓴᓇᐅᑉ ᒪᓕᒐᖓᓐᓂ, ᑐᙵᕕᕆᔭᖓ ᑕᐅᕙᙶᖅᑐᒥ “ᓯᕗᓂᐊᓂ-ᐊᕕᓚᐅᖅᑳᕋᑎᒃ ᐅᓪᓗᖏᓐᓂ” ᓄᓇᕗᑦ ᓱᓕ ᐃᓚᒋᔭᐅᑎᓪᓗᒍ ᓄᓇᑦᓯᐊᕐᒥ, ᐊᐅᓚᑦᑎᓪᓗᑎᒃ ᐊᐅᓚᑦᑎᐊᖅᑐᒥ ᑎᑎᕋᕐᕕᖕᒥ ᐊᒻᒪ ᓇᓂᓯᓂᕐᒥ ᐊᑯᓂᐅᔪᒥ ᐅᑭᐅᖅᑕᖅᑐᕐᒥᐅᑕᒥᒃ ᐅᕝᕙᓘᓐᓃᑦ ᐃᓄᖕᒥ ᐃᓇᖏᖅᓯᓂᐊᖅᑐᒥᒃ.

Despite ongoing and continuing hurdles in Nunavut’s Access to Information and Protection to Privacy (ATIPP) system, there is progress being made in certain departments within the Government of Nunavut (GN), says Graham Steele, Nunavut’s Information and Privacy Commissioner in his office’s annual report.

“The department of health continues to be the GN’s leader on ATIPP. Files are handled with attention to details and deadlines,” wrote Steele. “Errors occur, of course, because the department’s operations are so multi-faceted; but the department listens and learns, and strives to improve,” he added.

Good ATIPP work has also been seen by individuals in Culture and Heritage, Justice, as well as Nunavut Arctic College. Steele adds the best thing the GN can do is support its own ATIPP coordinators.

A renewed interest in bringing municipalities under the ATIPP Act was also highlighted in the report, with the limited resources of most Nunavut municipalities, the department of community and government services will be providing the necessary support.

The Commissioner says it’s a good objective, but “it must be handled carefully. Nunavut’s municipalities are small and their resources are limited. We do not want to set up the municipalities for failure.”

This year there were 21 review reports by the Commissioners office, compared to 27 in 2020-21.

There remain lingering concerns with respect to the GN failing to use its discretion, in this case departments still withholding more information from the public than is needed.

“In most cases, the GN could release more information than the minimum. That is what it means to ‘exercise discretion’: to choose to release as much information as possible,” Steele wrote.

He went on later in the report to outline the Office’s priorities for the future, which includes amending the ATTIP Act to give the power of disclosure of documents.

“This could and should be done right away. About half of Canadian jurisdictions already have this power. The Northwest Territories did it last year.”

Health-specific information legislation should also be on the table, Steele adds, saying the current system is not equipped to deal with the intricacies of the health system.

Other priorities include amending the first-generation ATTIP law, whose foundation goes back to “pre-division days” when Nunavut was still a part of the NWT, running an efficient office and finding a long-term Northerner or Inuk successor.