Directives concerning political representatives' requests for information

1 Definitions

Employee

Any of the Department’s employees.

Factual information

Information accessible to the public (examples: available on a website, part of an issued press release, divulged by a departmental representative during a meeting with the industry or partners, providing this group is not told that the information is sensitive or confidential) and not constituting opinions or political orientations.

“Other” information

Any information that the public cannot access, that is sensitive, confidential, complex or for which a political or departmental decision must be made.

Department’s authorized representative

An employee such as a program specialist who is authorized to speak on behalf of the Department or who holds the position of Director.

Representative of senior management

Regional Directors General and Assistant Commissioners or at a higher level.

Political representative

A member of Parliament, a senator, a member of a province’s or territory’s legislative assembly, a municipality’s elected official, or their designated representative(s).

2 Processing of political representatives’ requests

2.1 Summary

The Department is committed to respond to political representatives’ requests in a timely manner. Political representatives’ questions are answered by the Department’s authorized representatives or by a representative of senior management. Upon receiving a question from a political representative, an employee who is not an authorized representative of the Department must quickly transmit the question to an authorized representative of the Department. Any exchange of information with a political representative must be communicated to the senior management’s office (Assistant Commissioner, Regional Director General or higher) the Deputy’s Office and to the Minister’s Office.

When a political representative’s request is of interest to other sectors or regions, these sectors or regions should be consulted. In addition, the Member of Parliament Inquiry Form must be forwarded to these sectors or regions for information purposes.

Attention should be given to providing personal information to an MP, consistent with the Privacy Act, which allows for the disclosure of personal information to an MP for the purpose of assisting the individual to whom the information relates in resolving a problem.

2.2 Obligation of the employee who receives a request for factual or political information or a request for a meeting

When a political representative contacts an employee, the employee must:

2.2.1 If the request is made by telephone

The employee must immediately make note of the request. The employee must transmit the question to an authorized representative of the Department, including a representative of senior management if necessary, no more than four hours after receiving the request.

The employee should call the political representative back within 1 working day to communicate the name of the Department’s authorized representative, or of senior management’s representative if necessary, who will be responsible for responding to the request, if a response could not be given during the call.

2.2.2 If the request is sent via email

The employee must acknowledge within 1 working day that the request has been received.

If it is possible and does not delay the sending of an acknowledgement message, the acknowledgement message should include the name of the Department’s authorized representative, or of the representative of senior management if necessary, and the latter should receive a copy of an acknowledgement message via email.

The employee must transmit the question to an authorized representative of the Department, including a representative of senior management if necessary, no more than four hours after receiving the request.

2.3 Processing requests for factual information

Requests for factual information transmitted by an employee or received directly by the authorized representative of the Department must receive a response no more than 2 working days after the Department has received the request.

When the political representative’s request requires the provision of factual or “other” information, the authorized representative of the Department can immediately provide the factual information and indicate that the “other” questions (of a sensitive, confidential or political nature) will be answered once the appropriate stakeholders have been consulted.

The authorized representative of the Department must complete the Member of Parliament Inquiry Form and forward it to the office of the appropriate senior management representative (RDG, AC or ADM), sending a copy to the executive assistant, no more than 1 working day after the factual information has been shared with the political representative.

The office of senior management’s representative will then forward the form to the Ministerial Liaison Office and to the Deputy Minister’s office no more than four (4) hours after it was received. The Ministerial Liaison Office is responsible for forwarding the form to the Minister’s Office.

2.4 Processing requests for “other” information

Supported by recommendations from program directors and specialists, senior management’s representative will submit, within 2 working days, the questions asked by the political representative and proposed response using the MP Inquiry Form to the Deputy Minister’s office and the Ministerial Liaison Office. The Ministerial Liaison Office is responsible for forwarding the questions and the response guidelines to the Minister's Office.

The Minister’s Office, through the Ministerial Liaison Office or directly, must authorize senior management’s representative to transmit responses to the political representative.

Once the Minister’s Office has authorized the transmission of responses, senior management’s representative must give the information to the political representative within 2 working days.

In general, the political representative’s responses can be provided within 96 hours (four working days) of receiving the request.

Within 1 working day, senior management’s representative (or their office) will confirm with the Deputy’s Office and the Ministerial Liaison Office that the information has been shared with the political representative.

2.5 Request for meetings from political representatives

When receiving requests for meetings with political representatives, clarify, to the extent possible, details of the meeting (e.g. items to be discussed, timing considerations and participants [e.g. for an event, other participants?]).

Within four hours, notify the RDG, AC or ADM, copying the executive assistant, that a meeting has been requested by a political representative via the Member of Parliament Inquiry Form. Include relevant information (e.g. subject, timing, etc.) and recommendation to meet.

The office of the RDG, AC or ADM will endorse the recommendation (accept or decline) and forward it to the Ministerial Liaison Office, which is responsible for sending it to the Minister’s Office, and to the Deputy Minister’s Office. If, in the opinion of the Deputy’s Office or the Minister’s Office, there is an issue, the office of the RDG, AC or ADM will be advised of concerns (typically within one working day).

Within 2 working days of receiving the initial request, the authorized representative will accept or decline the Department’s participation. The RDG, AC or ADM will authorize the name of the employee(s) who will participate in the meeting.

Within 1 working day of the meeting, the Department representative who met the political representative will provide a summary of the meeting, including any action items or follow up, to the RDG/AC/ADM office, with a copy to the executive assistant. The office of the RDG/AC/ADM will send the form to the Ministerial Liaison Office and to the Deputy Minister’s Office no more than four hours after the form has been received. The Ministerial Liaison Office is responsible for forwarding the form to the Minister’s Office (if relevant).

This approach applies for requests from federal, provincial, territorial and municipal elected officials, and their staff, and for senators. Meeting requests from foreign dignitaries are handled by Global Affairs Canada and this directive does not apply to such requests.