Follow up to FOI class Sept. 11
Here are some resources on FOI and for filing your requests. And if you scroll to the bottom, a bit of fun.
Forms
Form for requests to Nova Scotia government departments
Form for requests to Dalhousie University
Form for requests to Halifax Regional Municipality
Form for requests to Halifax Regional Police
Form for filing federal requests
Filing online
Other resources
Nova Scotia FOI information page, including address for provincial government requests
Not all federal departments and agencies accept online requests. You can find all of the addresses for filing on paper here.
Nova Scotia information commissioner
Search completed federal access to information requests: http://open.canada.ca/en/search/ati
How to make out cheques
For Nova Scotia departments make out cheque to Minister of Finance, Nova Scotia OR to the specific department name.
For Halifax Regional Municipality, make out cheque to Halifax Regional Municipality.
For the Halifax police, make out the cheque to Halifax Regional Police.
For universities, make out the cheque to the university’s full name (e.g. Dalhousie University).
For federal departments, make out the cheque to Receiver General for Canada.
For federal crown corps (CBC, Via Rail, Canada Post) make out the cheque to the full name of the crown corporation.
For all federal and Nova Scotia requests (including HRM, police and universities) the fee is $5.00.
If you don’t have a chequing account, bring $5 cash to class and I will write a cheque for you.
Sample letter
If you’d rather write a letter than use a form, here’s a sample.
Sept. 11, 2018
Access to information Coordinator
Ministry of Silly Walks
21 Silly Walks Way
Halifax, NS
B3H 2R1
To whom it may concern:
This is a request under the Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act. [NOTE, YOU WOULD REPLACE THIS WITH THE APPROPRIATE ACT IF NOT A NOVA SCOTIA REQUEST]
I would like access to all silly walks manuals created in 2018.
You can contact me at the address or email below. I have enclosed the $5.00 application fee.
Yours sincerely,
[SIGN HERE]Sammy Student
26 Student St.
Halifax, NS
B3H 0A2
And now for those of you who stuck with me to the end, time for something completely different.