Organization Profile - Office of the Information Commissioner

Office of the Information Commissioner

President of the Treasury Board

The Information Commissioner investigates complaints from individuals who believe they have been denied rights under the Access to Information Act — Canada's freedom of information legislation.

Ottawa, Ontario

Access to Information Act

The Governor in Council shall, by Commission under the Great Seal, appoint an Information Commissioner after consultation with the leader of every recognized party in the Senate and House of Commons and approval of the appointment by resolution of the Senate and House of Commons. The Information Commissioner holds office during good behaviour for a term of seven years, but may be removed for cause by the GIC at any time on address of the House of Commons and Senate. The Commissioner is eligible for reappointment for terms not exceeding seven years. The Commissioner shall rank as and have all the powers of a deputy head of a department and shall engage exclusively in the duties of the office of Information Commissioner under this or any other Act of Parliament.

The GIC may appoint, on the recommendation of the Information Commissioner, one or more Assistant Information Commissioners to hold office during good behaviour for renewable terms not exceeding five years. An Assistant Information Commissioner shall engage exclusively in such duties or functions of the office of the Information Commissioner under this or any other Act of Parliament as are delegated by the Information Commissioner.

In the event of the absence or incapacity of the Information Commissioner, or if that office is vacant, the GIC may appoint any qualified person to hold that office in the interim for a term not exceeding six months, and that person shall, while holding that office, be paid the salary or other remuneration and expenses that may be fixed by the GIC.

The GIC may appoint as Privacy Commissioner under the Privacy Act, the Information Commissioner appointed under the Access to Information Act.

In the event that the Information Commissioner is appointed as Privacy Commissioner, the Privacy Commissioner shall be paid the salary of the Information Commissioner but not the salary of the Privacy Commissioner.

The Information Commissioner is an Agent of Parliament. The Minister of Justice has been designated as the "appropriate Minister" for the purposes of the Financial Administration Act.

Must be able to speak and understand clearly both official languages at the time of his or her appointment.

(Language Skills Act - http://laws.justice.gc.ca/eng/acts/L-6.2/index.html)

The Governor in Council shall, by commission under the Great Seal, appoint an Information Commissioner after consultation with the leader of every recognized party in the Senate and House of Commons and approval of the appointment by resolution of the Senate and House of Commons.

Access to Information Act

55 (2) The Information Commissioner shall be paid a salary equal to the salary of a judge of the Federal Court, other than the Chief Justice of that Court, and is entitled to be paid reasonable travel and living expenses incurred in the performance of duties under this Part or under any other Act of Parliament.