Access to Information

Access to Information and Privacy (ATIP) requests are formal mechanisms that allow individuals to request records held by the Government of Canada. For CAF members, these requests can be an important tool for understanding what information exists, how decisions were made, and what records were relied upon in administrative processes. You have the right to make a request for information that a government institution holds, this includes your own workplace and within the CAF.

Two primary legal frameworks apply:

• The Access to Information Act

• The Privacy Act

Although often grouped together, these requests serve different purposes and operate differently.

Access to Information (ATI) Requests

An Access to Information request allows any person to request government records, subject to specific exemptions and exclusions. For CAF-related matters, ATI requests are often used to seek:

• policies, directives, or briefing materials

• correspondence related to a program or decision

• records explaining how an administrative process was applied

ATI requests are frequently used to improve transparency and context, particularly where decision-making processes are unclear or poorly documented.

Privacy Requests

A Privacy Act request allows individuals to request their own personal information held by the government. For CAF members, this can include:

• personal files or records

• notes, emails, or reports that reference the member

• documentation relied upon in administrative or conduct-related processes

• Privacy requests are often used to understand what information exists about a member, whether it is accurate, and how it has been used.

Important limitations to understand

While ATIP requests can be valuable, they also have limitations:

• Not all records are releasable; exemptions and redactions are common

• Requests can take significant time to process

• Records may be incomplete, delayed, or heavily redacted

• ATIP is not a substitute for disclosure obligations that may exist within a specific administrative process

• ATIP requests do not overturn decisions, compel action, or guarantee access to every document that exists. They are best understood as information-gathering tools, not remedies.

How ATIP fits into administrative navigation

• For members navigating CAF administrative processes, ATIP requests can help:

• clarify timelines and decision-making history,

• identify what records exist,

• support understanding of how a process unfolded,

• and reduce uncertainty where information is fragmented or inaccessible.

Used appropriately, ATIP requests can support informed self-advocacy by improving transparency and awareness of the information landscape surrounding an administrative matter.

For more information and to make a request, view the online ATIP Portal:
ATIP Portal