Canada Immigration and Visa Discussion Forum Homepage
Forum Home Forum Home > Canada Immigration Topics > Canadian Citizenship
  New Posts New Posts RSS Feed - Ottawa to launch online pilot project for ATI r-s
  FAQ FAQ  Forum Search   Events   Register Register  Login Login

Ottawa to launch online pilot project for ATI r-s

 Post Reply Post Reply Page  123>
Author
Message
akella View Drop Down
Senior Member
Senior Member


Joined: 30 May 2012
Status: Offline
Points: 714
Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote akella Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Topic: Ottawa to launch online pilot project for ATI r-s
    Posted: 07 Oct 2012 at 1:19pm
Interesting development...

Ottawa to launch online pilot project for access-to-information requests

http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/politics/ottawa-to-launch-online-pilot-project-for-access-to-information-requests/article4595013/

Canada’s archaic access-to-information regime is about to establish a toehold in the online world.

The Harper government is planning a pilot project early next year to allow ordinary citizens and others to request internal documents under the Access to Information Act via the Internet.

The one-stop online portal would route each request to the proper department, allow fees to be paid electronically, and permit detailed tracking of the processing of the file.

...

Canada’s version will be launched early next year, comprising Citizenship and Immigration, Shared Services Canada and the Treasury Board Secretariat, the federal agency responsible for setting access-to-information standards and policies across all government.
Back to Top
akella View Drop Down
Senior Member
Senior Member


Joined: 30 May 2012
Status: Offline
Points: 714
Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote akella Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 07 Oct 2012 at 1:22pm
And until then, here is what you can use to get information from Citizenship and Immigration Canada:

Make your own Access to Information Requests
I've prepared a template that you can use for your own ATI requests.

Here it is:
https://rapidshare.com/files/2051613428/CIC_ATIP_Request_Template.docx

Complete the template, print, sign, pay $5 at CIC website, attach payment receipt, attach proof of Canadian citizenship, permanent residence or presence in Canada (only required for your first request), scan the whole thing and email or mail to CIC (address is in the template). You will receive a response within 30 days (unless they invoke an extension).

Payment link: https://eservicesak.cic.gc.ca/epay/welcome.do?lang=en
General How To information if you want more: http://www.cic.gc.ca/english/department/atip/requests-atip.asp  <- also read this page if you want to make request for your own file under Privacy Act. You will find the form you can use for this there - Access to Information and Personal Information Request Form (IMM 5563).

How to formulate your request
See Completed Requests Tracker (below) for ideas. Generally speaking, asking for "records" should be enough (source: http://www.atirtf-geai.gc.ca/report/report8-e.html), but you may want to define it further in your request for clarity.

Completed Requests Tracker
As a separate small project, I pulled info on all completed ATI disclosures (available on CIC website) in one Excel file. This should help you with ideas on what you can request from them and how to formulate your request.

Here it is:
http://rapidshare.com/files/559899946/CIC_ATIP_Completed_Requests.xlsx

Edit Jan 2013: completed requests tracker updated with data up to Nov 2012.




Edited by akella - 04 Jan 2013 at 2:06pm
Back to Top
EasyRider View Drop Down
Top Member
Top Member


Joined: 02 Mar 2010
Location: Montreal
Status: Offline
Points: 1512
Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote EasyRider Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 24 Dec 2012 at 11:21am
Did you get any notification from them upon receive or only response after 30 days?
Back to Top
akella View Drop Down
Senior Member
Senior Member


Joined: 30 May 2012
Status: Offline
Points: 714
Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote akella Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 24 Dec 2012 at 12:14pm
Originally posted by EasyRider EasyRider wrote:

Did you get any notification from them upon receive or only response after 30 days?

Only response (no notification upon receipt). Although, you can email them if you want an assigned case number.

I must also say there are some strange things going on right now - they lost one of my requests (found and started processing only after I wrote a follow up inquiry), and my request for copy of interesting files I saw in their recent proactive disclosure netted a response from a front line person that I can only describe as "I have no idea what the hell am I doing".

Except for this recent fiasco (probably a change in staffing /  new person reading emails to ATIP@), they are pretty efficient and professional in their communications.
Back to Top
EasyRider View Drop Down
Top Member
Top Member


Joined: 02 Mar 2010
Location: Montreal
Status: Offline
Points: 1512
Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote EasyRider Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 24 Dec 2012 at 12:24pm
Thanks, 30 days then.
Back to Top
akella View Drop Down
Senior Member
Senior Member


Joined: 30 May 2012
Status: Offline
Points: 714
Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote akella Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 24 Dec 2012 at 12:31pm
Originally posted by EasyRider EasyRider wrote:

Thanks, 30 days then.

Plus mailing time.
Back to Top
EasyRider View Drop Down
Top Member
Top Member


Joined: 02 Mar 2010
Location: Montreal
Status: Offline
Points: 1512
Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote EasyRider Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 24 Dec 2012 at 12:34pm
Is it better to request and ask for response by regular mail? I did requests by email and requested response by email.
Back to Top
akella View Drop Down
Senior Member
Senior Member


Joined: 30 May 2012
Status: Offline
Points: 714
Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote akella Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 24 Dec 2012 at 12:40pm
Originally posted by EasyRider EasyRider wrote:

Is it better to request and ask for response by regular mail? I did requests by email and requested response by email.

Unless your request was for your GCMS printout, they will ignore "please, respond by email" part and still send stuff via regular mail. At least, this is my experience with them.
Back to Top
EasyRider View Drop Down
Top Member
Top Member


Joined: 02 Mar 2010
Location: Montreal
Status: Offline
Points: 1512
Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote EasyRider Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 24 Dec 2012 at 12:44pm
Ok, thanks. We'll see what they'll come up with.
Back to Top
dpenabill View Drop Down
Top Member
Top Member


Joined: 29 Nov 2009
Status: Offline
Points: 6407
Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote dpenabill Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 24 Dec 2012 at 5:39pm
I was getting the informal copies of existing responses by email and then over a month ago that suddenly ceased, and indeed I have yet to get anything other than acknowledgements of requests since then.

Too busy to follow-up for awhile. Waiting to see if some things shake out of the trees given what has been, I suspect, a flood of requests submitted to CIC, both ATI and ATIP requests.
Bureaucracy is what bureaucracy does, or When in doubt, follow the instructions. Otherwise, follow the instructions.



BTW: Not an expert, not a Can. lawyer, never worked in immigration
Back to Top
 Post Reply Post Reply Page  123>
  Share Topic   

Forum Jump Forum Permissions View Drop Down