How to Participate in the ATIPPA Review Process

The ATIPPA Review Committee was established by the Government of Newfoundland and Labrador to conduct an independent statutory review of the Access to Information and Protection of Privacy Act (ATIPPA), including an examination of the amendments made through Bill 29.  Committee members are Clyde Wells (Chair), Jennifer Stoddart and Doug Letto.

The Terms of Reference of the statutory review are on the Committee’s website: www.parcnl.ca.

The Committee is tasked with conducting the review in an open, transparent and respectful manner and engaging citizens and stakeholders in a meaningful way. Protection of privacy will be assured.

The Committee encourages citizens and stakeholders to get involved in the review by making presentations at public hearings, written submissions or both. These presentations and submissions will provide important evidence to assist the Committee in its work and, as a result, the Committee may draw upon the contents of presentations and submissions and quote from them in its final report.

If you have any questions or comments respecting this process, please contact us by phone at 1-844-729-2605 or 729-2605, facsimile at 729-2724, email at info@parcnl.ca or regular mail at Suite C, 83 Thorburn Road, St. John’s NL A1B 3M2.

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Presentations at Public Hearings

The Review Committee encourages individuals and groups to bring forward their views in presentations at public hearings. Public hearings will give the Committee an opportunity to receive the presentations and ask questions of the person making the presentation.

First Set of Hearings

• Public hearings will be held in St. John’s on June 24, 25 and 26, 2014.

Additional Hearing Dates

• Other hearing dates and locations, as required, will be scheduled for dates during July and August. Those dates will be announced later.
• For planning purposes, you are asked to advise the Committee no later than July 31, 2014, if you intend to make a presentation at a public hearing.
• Individuals and groups who have not indicated in advance their desire to participate may, with the approval of the Committee, be heard at a public hearing.
• A notice of public hearings will be published in community and provincial papers and on the Committee’s website.

Schedule of Presentations

• A schedule will be posted on the Committee’s website containing the time, location and names of the individuals and groups who are presenting at public hearings.
• Presentations at a public hearing will, unless there is a good reason to allow a longer time, be limited to 30 minutes in duration, followed by questions from the Committee. If you require more time, then advise the Committee of the reasons for your request. For planning purposes, the Committee prefers to consider such requests in advance of the scheduled hearing date.

Before the Public Hearing – Written Requirement

• If you intend to make a presentation at a public hearing, the Committee requires that you provide either a summary of the topics that you intend to address or a written submission, at least 7 days in advance of the public hearing.
• Provide your document in Adobe PDF format. Any supporting documents to your summary of topics or written submission are to be combined in the one PDF file.
• Date your document and include your name and organization name, if applicable.
• Your personal contact information (address, telephone number, etc.) should be provided in your e-mail or cover letter.
• Send your document to the Committee by email, fax, hand delivery or regular mail.

Disability Related Accommodations or Supports

• Please advise Committee support staff, in advance of public hearings, of any disability related accommodations or supports that may be required.

Arriving at a Public Hearing

• When you arrive at a public hearing, please check in with the Committee support staff.
• If you have additional written materials to provide the Committee, it would be helpful if you could bring 4 bound paper copies and one PDF file and provide them to the support staff. The support staff will distribute those materials to the Committee Members.

Presenting at a Public Hearing

• When the Committee is ready, the Chair will call your name and ask that you introduce yourself. Then you may begin your presentation.
• Your presentation is generally limited to 30 minutes, unless you have requested and received approval from the Committee for a presentation of a longer duration.
• The Committee may ask you questions.
• If you are unable to answer a question, then you may provide that information to the Committee in writing as soon as possible after the hearing.
• Keep in mind that the information you provide at a public hearing is public information. We would ask that you respect the privacy of other individuals in your public presentation.

Broadcasting of Public Hearings

• The public hearings will be webcast live through the Committee’s website.
• An archive of the webcast of public hearings will be available on the Committee’s website.
• You can reasonably expect the media to be present at the public hearings.

Transcription, Publication and Privacy

• In the absence of a clear indication that a presentation is intended to be confidential the Committee will treat the presentation as public.
• Written transcripts of public hearings will be posted to the Committee’s website as soon as they are available.
• Personal information of the presenter, such as name, address and personal opinions may also be published, unless the presenter requests, and the Committee agrees, that the information not be disclosed.
• The Committee may withhold from disclosure confidential information and personal information in order to protect the confidentiality and privacy of presenters or others mentioned in the presentation. Publication or withholding of information in a transcribed presentation is at the discretion of the Committee, which will be exercised on the basis of the principles in the Access to Information and Protection of Privacy Act.
• We would however advise that any confidential transcribed presentations may still be subject to a request under the Access to Information and Protection of Privacy Act.

Attending a Public Hearing

• Anyone may attend a public hearing.
• Cameras and recording devices are not permitted to be used in the hearing room without the permission of the Committee or its support staff. Only the media and those who are recording the proceedings on behalf of the Committee will be permitted to use cameras.
• Members of the media and public are requested to remain silent at all times within the hearing room and are reminded that mobile telephones must be switched off.
• To protect those who have allergies, please avoid the use of scented products.

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Written Submissions

When?

• Written submissions are requested as soon as possible, but in any event not later than August 31, 2014.
• Where a person is also making a presentation at a public hearing before August 31, then the written submission or a summary of the topics that you intend to address is required at least 7 days in advance of the public hearing.

How?

• Provide your written submission in Adobe PDF format. Any supporting documents to your written submission are to be combined in the one PDF file.
• Date your submission and include your name and organization name, where applicable.
• Your personal contact information (address, telephone number, etc.) should be provided in your e-mail or cover letter.
• Send your written submission to the Committee by email, fax, hand delivery or regular mail.
• The Committee may request further elaboration of a written submission.

Publication of written submissions

• In the absence of a clear indication that a written submission is intended to be confidential the Committee will treat the submission as public.
• Written submissions may be posted on the Committee’s website.
• Personal information of the submitter, such as name, address and personal opinions may also be published, unless the submitter requests, and the Committee agrees, that the information not be disclosed.
• The Committee may withhold from disclosure confidential information and personal information in order to protect the confidentiality and privacy of submitters or others mentioned in the written submission. Publication or withholding of information in a submission is at the discretion of the Committee, which will be exercised on the basis of the principles in the Access to Information and Protection of Privacy Act.
• We would however advise that confidential written submissions may still be subject to a request under the Access to Information and Protection of Privacy Act.

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