National Research Conseil national Council Canada de recherches Canada
Annual Report to Parliament2012-2013
Privacy Act
TABLE OF CONTENTS
I. INTRODUCTION__________________________________________________3II. DELEGATION OF AUTHORITY______________________________________3III. ORGANIZATIONAL STRUCTURE___________________________________4IV. INTERPRETATION OF STATISTICAL REPORT________________________5V. PRIVACY-RELATED TRAINING AND EDUCATION______________________6VI. NEW PROCEDURES, GUIDELINES AND DIRECTIVES__________________6VII. PRIVACY COMPLAINTS___________________________________________6VIII. PRIVACY IMPACT ASSESSMENT ACTIVITIES_________________________6IX. SECTION 8(2)(m) DISCLOSURES___________________________________6
ANNEX A: DELEGATION ORDER_________________________________________7ANNEX B: STATISTICAL REPORT_________________________________________8
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I. INTRODUCTION
The purpose of the Privacy Act is to extend the present laws of Canada that protect the privacy of individuals and that provide individuals with a right of access to personal information about themselves. The federal Privacy Act regulates the collection, use and disclosure of personal information held by federal institutions including the National Research Council Canada (NRC).
In accordance with Section 72 of the Privacy Act, this twenty-ninth Annual Report on the administration of the Privacy Act at NRC describes how NRC discharged its responsibilities in relation to the Act in the fiscal year 2012-2013. The Annual Report is tabled in Parliament in accordance with section 72 of the Privacy Act.
The National Research Council Canada is an agency of the Government of Canada established in 1916. Its mandate is to help build an innovative, knowledge-based economy for Canada through research and development, technology commercialization and industry support.
As stated in the NRC Act, the agency is responsible for: undertaking, assisting or promoting scientific and industrial research in different fields of importance to Canada; establishing, operating and maintaining a national science library; publishing and selling or otherwise distributing such scientific and technical information as the Council deems necessary; investigating standards and methods of measurement; working on the standardization and certification of scientific and technical apparatus and instruments and materials used or usable by Canadian industry; operating and administering any astronomical observatories established or maintained by the Government of Canada; administering NRC's research and development activities, including contributions used to support a number of international activities; and providing vital scientific and technological services to the research and industrial communities.
II. DELEGATION OF AUTHORITY
The NRC President has delegated the responsibilities associated with the administration of the Privacy Act to the Executive Vice President and Secretary General and Director, Corporate Governance. Operational responsibility for the application of the Act has been delegated to the Access to Information and Privacy Coordinator.
A detailed signed Delegation Order can be found at Annex A.
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III. ORGANIZATIONAL STRUCTURE
The Executive Vice President and Secretary General has overall responsibility for ensuring that NRC’s policies, procedures and practices are in line with the application and administration of the Privacy Act. As shown in the Delegation Order, the Executive Vice President and Secretary General has delegated some of her authority to the Director, Corporate Governance and to the Access to Information and Privacy (ATIP) Coordinator. The NRC Access to Information and Privacy (ATIP) office is part of the NRC Secretary General’s Office (SGO).
The NRC ATIP office is comprised of one part-time Coordinator and two Officers. The NRC ATIP office works closely with the NRC Records Services, NRC Industrial Research Assistance Program ATIP liaison officer, NRC Human Resources ATIP liaison officer, NRC Communication Branch and senior management across the organization. Procedures are in place to process all privacy requests. These requests are processed by the Access to Information and Privacy Coordinator who has the authority to access all records held by NRC.
The ATIP office is responsible for the coordination and implementation of policies, guidelines and procedures to ensure the organization’s compliance with the Privacy Act. To that end, the office provides the following services to the organization:
- Promote awareness of the Privacy Act within NRC- Processes privacy requests and privacy complaints- Provides advice and guidance to employees and senior officials on Privacy
related matters- Prepares an Annual Report to Parliament- Responds to the SGO on the privacy related matters mentioned in the
Management Accountability Framework- Coordinates and implements updates to Info Source - Administers Privacy Impact Assessments- Review Harassment Reports- Manages the ATIP electronic management system- Develops internal procedures, policies and guidelines- Participates in forums for the ATIP Community, such as the Treasury Board
Secretariat ATIP Community Meetings, Training and Annual Meetings.
The ATIP office is responsible for the implementation of the new TBS directives, and has worked in consultation with various sectors of the organization to complete a privacy management framework in the form of a policy governing the management of personal information.
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IV. INTERPRETATION OF STATISTICAL REPORT
Annex B provides a summarized statistical report on the privacy requests received and processed by the National Research of Council from 1 April 2012 to 31 March 2013. This section provides an interpretation of the statistical report.
During the fiscal year, NRC received fifteen (15) new privacy requests. One (1) request was outstanding from the previous fiscal year for a total of sixteen (16) privacy requests to process in this fiscal year. During this reporting period, NRC completed the processing of a total of fourteen (14) privacy requests. Two (2) requests were carried forward into 2013-2014.
Section 15 of the Privacy Act allows institutions to extend the legal deadline for processing a request. NRC invoked an extension in four (4) cases of the fourteen (14) Privacy requests. Meeting the original time limit of thirty days would have unreasonably interfered with the operations of the organization. In summary, out of the fourteen (14) requests, eight (8) were completed within 30 days or less and four (4) took between 3 and 60 days to complete. Two (2) requests were abandoned.
The exemption invoked was pursuant to section 26 of the Privacy Act. Section 26 (information about another individual) was applied in eight cases (8).
The figures, as reflected in the chart below, indicate the number of requests received and processed over the past three years. The figures do not reflect requests processed informally or other queries that have been received in the ATIP office. NRC does expect that privacy requests and queries concerning privacy-related matters will continue to represent a significant portion of the workload due to the ongoing organizational changes.
2010-2011 2011-2012 2012-201302468
10121416
receivedcompletedcarried forward
The annual statistical report for the fiscal year 2012-2013 is included at the end of this chapter, as Annex B.
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V. PRIVACY-RELATED TRAINING AND EDUCATION
The ATIP office is committed to providing ongoing development and training to NRC’s employees.
During the fiscal year, a formal ATIP and Managing NRC Information Course (3 hours) was offered on 21 March 2013 with 14 participants and three training sessions via teleconference were offered on 15, 16 and 17 May 2012 with 13-16 participants per session.
ATIP employees continually sensitize and guide employees, third parties and requesters regarding the requirements of the Privacy Act by means of ongoing dialogue. During the reporting period, ATIP officers responded to inquiries from colleagues, where advice and guidance were provided on various subjects pertaining to Privacy legislation.
Within the context of its roles and responsibilities, NRC’s ATIP office reviewed a total of eighty-six (86) parliamentary questions received for the period of April 2012 to March 2013. In addition, two (2) harassment reports were reviewed from a privacy perspective.
All awareness sessions included information on the access to information legislation which has been accounted for in the Access to Information Act annual report.
VI. NEW PROCEDURES, GUIDELINES AND DIRECTIVES
NRC did not implement new and/or revised policies, guidelines or procedures during the reporting period.
VII. PRIVACY COMPLAINTS
During this fiscal year, NRC did not receive any privacy complaint.
VIII. PRIVACY IMPACT ASSESSMENT ACTIVITIES
NRC did not complete any Privacy Impact Assessments during the reporting period.
IX. SECTION 8(2)(m) DISCLOSURES
There was no disclosure made pursuant to section 8(2)(m) of the Privacy Act during the reporting period.
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ANNEX A: DELEGATION ORDER
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ANNEX B: STATISTICAL REPORT
Statistical Report on the Privacy Act
Name of institution: National Research Council
Reporting period: 2012-04-01 to 2013-03-31
Part 1 Requests under the Privacy Act
Number of Requests
Received during reporting period 15
Outstanding from previous reporting period
1
TOTAL 16
Completed during reporting period 14
Carried over to next reporting period 2
Part 2 Requests closed during the reporting period2.1 Disposition and completion time
Completion TimeDisposition of
requests1 to 15 days
16 to 30 days
31 to 60 days
61 to 120 days
121 to 180 days
181 to 365 days
More than 365
daysTOTAL
All disclosed 1 1 1 0 0 0 0 3
Disclosed in part 0 5 3 0 0 0 0 8
All exempted 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
All excluded 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
No records exit 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 1
Request abandoned 0 0 2 0 0 0 0 2
TOTAL 2 6 6 0 0 0 0 14
2.2 Exemptions
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SectionNumber of requests Sections
Number of requests Sections
Number of requests
18(2) 0 22(1)(a)(i) 0 23(a) 0
19(1)(a) 0 22(1)(a)(ii) 0 23(b) 0
19(1)(b) 0 22(1)(a)(iii) 0 24(a) 0
19(1)(c) 0 22(1)(b) 0 24(b) 0
19(1)(d) 0 22(1)(c) 0 25 0
19(1)(e) 0 22(2) 0 26 8
19(1)(f) 0 22.1 0 27 0
20 0 22.2 0 28 0
21 0 22.3 0
2.3 Exclusions
SectionNumber of requests Section
Number of requests Section
Number of requests
69(1)(a) 0 70 (1)(a) 0 70 (1)(d) 0
69(1)(b) 0 70 (1)(b) 0 70 (1)(e) 0
69.1 0 70 (1)(c) 0 70 (1)(f) 0
70.1 0
2.4 Format of information releasedDisposition Paper Electronic Other formats
All disclosed 3 0 0Disclosed in part 8 0 0TOTAL 11 0 0
2.5 Complexity
2.5.1 Relevant pages processed and disclosed
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Disposition of requests
Number of pages processed
Number of pages disclosed
Number of requests
All disclosed 159 159 3
Disclosed in part 2423 2423 8
All exempted 0 0 0
All excluded 0 0 0
Request abandoned 0 0 2
2.5.2 Relevant pages processed and disclosed by size of requests
Less than 100 pages reviewed
101-500 pages processed
501-1000 pages processed
1001-5,000 pages
processed
More than 5000 pages
processed
DispositionNumber
of Requests
Pages disclosed
Number of
RequestsPages
disclosed
Number of
RequestsPages
disclosed
Number of
RequestsPages
disclosed
Number of
RequestsPages
disclosed
All disclosed 2 12 1 147 0 0 0 0 0 0
Disclosed in part 5 177 2 366 0 0 1 1880 0 0
All exempted 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
All excluded 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
Abandoned 2 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
Total 9 189 3 513 0 0 1 1880 0 0
2.5.3 Other complexities
DispositionConsultation
requiredLegal Advice
SoughtInterwoven Information Other Total
All disclosed 0 0 0 0 0
Disclosed in part 0 0 0 1 1
All exempted 0 0 0 0 0
All excluded 0 0 0 0 0
Abandoned 0 0 0 0 0
Total 0 0 0 1 1
2.6 Deemed refusals
2.6.1 Reasons for not meeting statutory deadline
Principal Reason
10
Number of requests closed
past the statutory deadline
Workload External consultation
Internal consultation
Other
1 0 0 0 1
2.6.2 Number of days past deadlineNumber of days
past deadlineNumber of requests past
deadline where no extension was taken
Number of requests past deadline where an
extension was taken Total
1 day to 15 days 1 0 1
16 to 30 days 1 0 1
31 to 60 days 0 0 0
61 to 120 days 0 0 0
121 to 180 days 0 0 0
181 to 365 days 0 0 0
More than 365 days 0 0 0
Total 2 0 2
2.7 Requests for translation
Translation Requests Accepted Refused Total
English to French 0 0 0
French to English 0 0 0
Total 0 0 0
Part 3 Disclosures under subsection 8(2)
Paragraph8(2)(e)
Paragraph8(2)(m) Total
0 0 0
Part 4 Request for correction of personal information and notations
Number
Requests for correction received 0
Requests for correction accepted 0
11
Requests for correction refused 0
Notations attached 0
Part 5 Extensions5.1 Reasons for extensions and disposition of requests
Disposition of requestswhere an extension was
taken
15(a)(i)Interference with
operations
15(a)(ii)Consultations
15(b)Translation or
conversion
Section 70 Other
All disclosed 1 0 0 0
Disclosed in part 3 0 0 0
All exempted 0 0 0 0
All excluded 0 0 0 0
No records exist 0 0 0 0
Request abandoned 0 0 0 0
TOTAL 4 0 0 0
5.2 Length of extensions
15(a)(i)Interference with
operations15(a)(ii)
Consultation
15(b)Translationpurposes
Length of extensions
Section 70 Other
1 to 15 days 0 0 0 0
16 to 30 days 4 0 0 0
TOTAL 4 0 0 0
Part 6 Consultations received from other institutions and organizations6.1 Consultations received from other government institutions and
organizations
Consultations
Othergovernment institutions
Number ofpages to review Other
organizations
Number of pages to review
12
Received during reporting period
0 0 0 0
Outstanding from the previous reporting period
0 0 0 0
Total 0 0 0 0
Completed during the reporting period
0 0 0 0
Pending at the end of the reporting period
0 0 0 0
6.2 Recommendations and completion time for consultations received from other government institutions
Number of days required to complete consultation requests
Recommendation1 to 15 days
16 to 30 days
31 to 60 days
61 to 120
days
121 to180
days
181 to365
days
More than 365
daysTOTAL
Disclose entirely 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
Disclose in part 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
Exempt entirely 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
Exclude entirely 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
Consult other institution 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
Other 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
TOTAL 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
6.3 Recommendations and completion time for consultations received from other organizations
Number of days required to complete consultation requests
Recommendation 1 to 15 days
16 to 30 days
31 to 60 days
61 to 120
days
121 to180
days
181 to365
days
More than 365
days
TOTAL
13
Disclose entirely 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
Disclose in part 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
Exempt entirely 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
Exclude entirely 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
Consult other institution 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
Other 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
TOTAL 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
Part 7 Completion time of consultations on Cabinet confidences
Number of Days
Number of responsesreceived
Number of responses received past deadline
1 to 15 0 016 to 30 0 031 to 60 0 061 to 120 0 0121 to 180 0 0181 to 365 0 0More than 365 0 0
Total 0 0
Part 8 Resources related to the Privacy Act
8.1 CostsExpenditures Amount
Salaries $52,650.00
Overtime 0.00
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Goods and Services $33,413.00
• Contracts for privacy impact assessments 0.00
• Professional Services Contracts $20,528.00
• Other $12,885.00
Total $86,063.00
8.2 Human Resources
Resources
Dedicated full-time
Dedicatedpart-time
Total
Full-time employees 1 0 1Part-time and casual employees
0 0 0
Regional staff 0 0 0Consultants and agency personnel 0 0 0
Students 0 0 0
Total 1 0 1
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