PortAl for onlIne request lAunched In cAnAdA
To ensure more responsive and transparent e-Governance, the Government of Canada has launched a portal called Access to Information and Privacy (ATIP) Online Request to facilitate the citizens requesting information under the Access to Information Act or the Privacy Act of the country. Under these two acts, Canadian citizens have the access to most government related information except some crucial documents such as Cabinet related documents and information that could be injurious to Canada’s security or economy, federal-provincial relations and international affairs. At present, all the citizens of Canada, permanent residents and corporation in Canada are authorized to make a request under the Access to Information Act. Those who are not from the above category can ask a representative (a Canadian citizen or permanent resident) to make a request on his/her behalf with a written consent. The new portal promises of streamlining the process of requesting government records and make it altogether simpler and user-friendly. Now it is not at all essential for users to print and mail paper-based applications to different departments as they can directly upload supporting documents such as proof of identity with their application, online. Besides this, the portal also allows requestors to securely pay the application fee through their credit cards. At present, three Government Departments viz. the Treasury Board Secretariat (TBS), Shared Services Canada (SSC) and Citizenship and Immigration Canada (CIC) are involved in the pilot phase of the project. In due time, e-Governance has planned to extend the project to incorporate other federal institutions under its commitments envisaged under Canada’s Open Government Action Plan.