Access to Information Orders
Decision Information
The Ministry of the Attorney General (the Ministry) received a request from the appellant, under the Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act (the Act), for access to records relating to Help Line, an association of former students from St. Joseph's Training School for Boys and St. John's Training School for Boys. Specifically, the appellant requested copies of records relating to the settlement agreements that were initially negotiated by the independent Reconciliation Process Implementation Committee (RPIC). The RPIC was made up of representatives of the victims of abuse, the Government of Ontario, the Roman Catholic Church and the Christian Brothers. The appellant was a member of RPIC.
The Ministry identified a number of responsive records in the following four categories, and issued a response to the appellant denying access:
(a) a signed copy of the Helpline reconciliation agreement and companion agreement;
(b) records relating to the negotiation and implementation of the companion agreement, including correspondence and memoranda between several listed individuals and organizations, including the Premier of Ontario;
(c) the apology which allegedly was introduced in the Ontario Legislature pursuant to the terms of the companion agreement; and
(d) all records between the appellant and the Government of Ontario regarding the issue of apologies in relation to the companion agreement.
The appellant appealed the Ministry's decision and, following an inquiry, Senior Adjudicator David Goodis disposed of a number of issues regarding access in Order PO-1864. In that order, Senior Adjudicator Goodis upheld the Ministry's decision to exempt certain records under sections 19 or 49(a), and ordered the disclosure of a number of records and portions of records including "complete, signed copies of the reconciliation agreement and the companion agreement." He also ordered the Ministry to conduct further searches and to "issue a decision to the appellant, in accordance with Part II of the Act, respecting any additional records responsive to part (b) of the request it may have located at its Records Centre or any other location."
Decision Content
NATURE OF THE APPEAL:
The Ministry of the Attorney General (the Ministry) received a request from the appellant, under the Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act (the Act), for access to records relating to Help Line, an association of former students from St. Joseph’s Training School for Boys and St. John’s Training School for Boys. Specifically, the appellant requested copies of records relating to the settlement agreements that were initially negotiated by the independent Reconciliation Process Implementation Committee (RPIC). The RPIC was made up of representatives of the victims of abuse, the Government of Ontario, the Roman Catholic Church and the Christian Brothers. The appellant was a member of RPIC.
The Ministry identified a number of responsive records in the following four categories, and issued a response to the appellant denying access:
[Extrapolated from index provided by the Ministry]
Record Number
|
Policy Branch Records |
Exemption |
|
A1 (2 pages) |
Confidential House Note 1996 |
13, 19 |
|
A2 (5 pages) |
Hansard 1996 |
Previously Released |
|
A3 (7 Pages) |
Qs and As 1996 |
12, 13 |
|
A4 (2 pages) |
Chronology 1996) |
13 |
|
A5 (11 pages) |
Information Package 1992 |
19 |
|
A8 (69 pages) |
Survey 1992 |
19 |
|
A10 (15 pages) |
Fax Cover Sheet and Minutes of Meeting 1992 |
19 |
|
A14 (2 pages) |
Correspondence 1992 |
19 |
|
A16 (16 pages) |
Minutes of Meeting 1992 |
19 |
|
A17 (2 pages) |
Correspondence 1992 |
19 |
|
A18 (1 page) |
Correspondence 1992 |
19 |
|
A19 (10 pages) |
Briefing Note with Attachment 1992 |
19 |
|
A20 (6 pages) |
Fax Sheet with Attachments 1992 |
19 |
|
A21 (6 pages) |
Proposal 1992 |
19 |
|
A23 (17 pages) |
Minutes of Meeting 1992 |
19 |
|
A24 (4 pages) |
Correspondence 1991 |
19 |
|
A26 (23 pages) |
Cover Memo with Draft Minutes of Meeting 1991 |
19, 49(a) |
|
A28 (1 page) |
Memo 1991 |
19 |
|
A29 (2 pages) |
Correspondence |
19 |
|
A30 (6 pages) |
Correspondence with Attachment 1991 |
19 |
|
A31 (16 pages) |
Fax Cover Sheet with Draft Minutes 1991 |
19 |
|
A32 (18 pages) |
Memorandum with Draft Plan 1991 |
19 |
|
A34 (34 pages) |
Cabinet Document |
12, 13 |
|
A35 (9 pages) |
Memorandum from Counsel 1991 |
13, 19 |
|
A36 (19 pages) |
Memorandum from Counsel 1991 |
13, 19 |
|
A38 (22 pages) |
Memorandum with Attachment 1991 |
19, 49(a) |
|
A39 (26 pages) |
Memorandum with Attachments 1991 |
19, 49(a) |
|
A40 (3 pages) |
Memo and Correspondence 1991 |
12, 13, 19 |
|
A46 (22 pages) |
Proposal and Attachments |
12, 13, 19 |
|
A47 (2 pages) |
Memo |
12, 13, 19 |
|
A49 (4 pages) |
Memorandum |
12, 13 |
|
A50 (2 pages) |
Cabinet Document |
12, 19 |
|
A52 (6 pages) |
Portion of the Agreement |
19 |
|
Record Number
|
Description |
Exemption |
|
|
Criminal Law Division Records |
|
|
B1 |
News Release 1992 |
Release |
|
B2-9 |
Draft Copy of the Companion Agreement |
13, 19 |
|
B10-12 |
Critical Issues Notes 1992 |
13, 19, 49(a) |
|
B13-16 |
Memorandum from Counsel 1996 |
13, 19 |
|
B17-21 |
Memorandum with Attachments |
13, 19 |
|
B22 |
Memorandum from Counsel 1996 |
13, 19 |
|
B23-24 |
Memorandum from Counsel 1996 |
13, 19 |
|
B25 |
Memorandum from Counsel 1996 |
13, 19, 21 |
|
B26-27 |
Facsimile Transmission Sheet with Memorandum from Counsel 1996 |
13, 19 |
|
B28-31 |
Handwritten Notes with Attachment 1996 |
13, 19 |
|
B32 |
Memorandum from Counsel 1996 |
13, 19 |
|
B33-34 |
Memorandum from Counsel |
19 |
|
B35-36 |
Correspondence to Individual |
13, 21 |
|
B37-41 |
Letters 1996 |
13, 19 |
|
B42-44 |
Draft Document |
13, 19 |
|
B45-48 |
Facsimile Transmission Sheets |
13, 19 |
|
B49-78 |
Memorandum with Copies of Various Draft Documents 1992 |
13, 19 |
|
B79-141 |
Draft Reconciliation Model Agreement 1992 |
13, 19 |
|
B142-176 |
Fax Cover Sheet with Covering Memo and Attachments of Draft Model Agreement and Companion Agreement 1992 |
19 |
|
B177-210 |
Draft Copies of Agreements |
19 |
|
B211-215 |
Memorandum and Attachment 1992 |
13, 19 |
|
B216-217 |
Correspondence 1996 |
13, 19 |
|
B218-227 |
Draft Agreement |
13, 19 |
|
B228-230 |
Memorandum with Attached Draft Statements |
13, 19 |
|
B231-232 |
Memorandum to File 1992 |
13, 19 |
|
B233-237 |
Memorandum from Counsel with Attachments 1992 |
13, 19 |
|
B238-240 (B240 is a duplicate of B239) |
Correspondence from Counsel 1992 |
13, 19, 49(a) |
|
B241-249 |
Cabinet Document |
12, 13 |
|
B250-252 |
Correspondence from counsel 1992 |
13, 19, 49(a) |
|