Tuesday, March 8, 2022

Prison Pandemic Papers - Links to Disclosure Exemptions and ATI/FOI Request Forms

The Prison Pandemic Partnership launched its Prison Pandemic Papers in March 2022. The dataset includes "unpublished government records obtained using access to information [ATI] and freedom of information [FOI] requests submitted to governments across Canada" that "provide insights into the COVID-19 response of federal, provincial, and territorial prison authorities, along with the impact the pandemic has had on imprisoned people and those working in congregate settings of human caging". It is important to note that a number of governmental records sought by the Prison Pandemic Partnership were not disclosed and there still exists gaps in knowledge our ATI/FOI requests were unable to address. It is with this in mind that links to ATI/FOI request forms and disclosure exemptions are provided below to (a) assist dataset users to understand the grounds upon which the records the partnership obtained were redacted and (b) assist those interested in obtaining government records on the prison pandemic to file requests to "contribute to this collective endeavour of knowledge and action, and work together towards greater transparency, accountability and change".  

Federal  
Access to Information Act (1985)
* Disclosure exemptions - sections 13 to 26

Newfoundland and Labrador
Access to Information and Protection of Privacy Act (2015)
* Disclosure exemptions - sections 27 to 41

Prince Edward Island
Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act (2021)
Disclosure exemptions - sections 14 to 27

Nova Scotia 
Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act (1993)
* Disclosure exemptions - sections 12 to 23

New Brunswick
Right to Information and Protection of Privacy Act (2009)
* Disclosure exemptions - sections 17 to 33

Québec
Act Respecting Access to Documents Held by Public Bodies and the Protection of Personal Information (1982)
* Disclosure exemptions - sections 18 to 41

Ontario
Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act (1990)
* Disclosure exemptions - sections 12 to 23

Manitoba
Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act (1997)
* Disclosure exemptions - sections 17 to 32

Saskatchewan
Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act (1990)
* Disclosure exemptions - sections 13 to 23

Alberta
Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act (2000)
* Disclosure exemptions - sections 16 to 29

British Columbia
Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act (1996)
* Disclosure exemptions - sections 12 to 22

Nunavut
Access to Information and Protection of Privacy Act (1994)
* Disclosure exemptions - sections 13 to 25

Northwest Territories
Access to Information and Protection of Privacy Act (1996)
* Disclosure exemptions - sections 13 to 25

Yukon
Access to Information and Protection of Privacy Act (2018)
* Disclosure exemptions - sections 67 to 81

RESEARCH PROJECT AND FUNDING 
The "COVID-19: Investigating Canada's Carceral Response to the Coronavirus through the Prison Pandemic Partnership" project (principal investigator: Kevin Walby, PhD - uWinnipeg | co-investigator: Justin Piché, PhD - uOttawa | partner organization: Canadian Civil Liberties Association) is funded by the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada. The partnership project is housed within the Centre for Access to Information and Justice at the University of Winnipeg.