The Information and Privacy Commissioner, Michael Harvey, has released his Report A-2020-015 under authority of the Access to Information and Protection of Privacy Act, 2015. A summary of the Report is included below.
To view the Report in its entirety, please go to www.oipc.nl.ca/reports/commissioner.
| Report: | A-2020-015 |
| Report Date: | August 31, 2020 |
| Public Body: | Memorial University of Newfoundland |
| Summary: | The Complainant made two access requests to Memorial University of Newfoundland for records which were provided, but with information withheld under sections 29 (advice and recommendations), 30 (solicitor-client privilege), 38 (disclosures harmful to labour relations) and 40 (disclosures harmful to personal privacy). The Complainant challenged those redactions, and additionally argued that some information should be provided on the basis that it was relevant to a workplace investigation under section 33.
The Commissioner found that Memorial had properly applied section 30; that no information was required to be disclosed under section 33; that some personal information was properly withheld under section 40; that other information was the personal information of the Complainant under section 2(u) (opinion of another person about the Complainant) and therefore must be disclosed; that section 29 applied to justify withholding some information; and that it was not necessary to discuss section 38. The Commissioner also found that Memorial had not failed to fulfil its duty to assist the applicant under section 13 of the Act. |
– 30 –
Media contact
Sean Murray
Director of Research & Quality Assurance
709-729-6309