The complainant alleged that National Defence (DND) did not conduct a reasonable search in response to an access request under the Access to Information Act for all finished intelligence assessments produced by J2Director Strategic Intelligence (J2 DSI) organization dealing with Iraq during the period 1 January 2020 to 31 December 2003. The allegation falls within paragraph 30(1)(a) of the Act.
The investigation determined that the Offices of Primary Interest did not retrieve all relevant records when they were tasked to do so. DND was unable to show that it conducted a reasonable search for records responsive to the access request. The Office of the Information Commissioner asked DND to conduct a second search for all relevant records. As a result, three additional records were located.
The Information Commissioner ordered that DND provide a new response to the access request on the 36th business day following the date of the final report.
DND gave notice to the Commissioner that it would be implementing the order.
The complaint is well founded.