The role of the Information and Privacy Commissioner (IPC) is set out in two Acts: the Access to Information and Protection of Privacy Act and the Health Information Act. His role includes:
- providing independent review and resolution of decisions made by public bodies and health custodians in response to access to information requests under the Northwest Territories’ two access and privacy laws: the Access to Information and Protection of Privacy Act (ATIPPA) and the Health Information Act (HIA);
- investigating privacy complaints regarding the collection, use or disclosure of personal or health information by public bodies and health information custodians;
- investigating any matter relating to the application of the Acts, whether or not a review is requested;
- conducting inquiries to decide issues of fact and law, and issuing recommendations to public bodies and health information custodians;
- reviewing privacy breach complaints against Territorial public bodies and health information custodians and making recommendations for resolution of such complaints;
- providing comments and recommendations on legislative schemes or programs that have implications for access and privacy rights;
- providing comments on the privacy and security implications of using or disclosing personal and health information for record linkages or for performing data matching;
- providing advice and recommendations of general application respecting the rights or obligations of stakeholders under the Acts.