Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Pursuant to Rule 7.2(7), I've received follow-up information for Oral Question 671-20(1). Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Further to the response provided to the Member for Range Lake on May 21, 2025. The Department of Justice is actively implementing all five recommendations from the Commissioner’s Report Office of the Information and Privacy Commissioner file 22-438-4 as outlined below:
Finalize and implement a Clean Desk Policy
The Department will implement an internal Clean Desk Policy by June 27, 2025. Additionally, the Office of the Chief Information Officer’s online Information Security Training contains modules specific to the Clean Desk Principle. Department of Justice employees will be encouraged to complete the Information Security Awareness Training Refresher course which contains a section on the “Clean Desk Principle”. Messaging will be provided to Justice employees by June 27, 2025.
Finalize and implement a Furniture Moving Policy.
The Department’s Furniture Moving Policy that speaks to the responsibilities of employees managing items stored within furniture, which may include records containing personal information, has been finalized in consultation with the GNWT Access and Privacy Office and was shared with DOJ employees on May 20, 2025.
Ensure that its employees receive privacy training commensurate with their roles in the collection, use, disclosure or disposal of personal information. Access to Information and Protection of Privacy General Awareness training was updated in 2023 to reflect the 2021 amendments made to the Access to Information and Protection of Privacy Act. These updated learning modules include information specific to the protection of personal information and privacy breaches.
The Department plans to formally recommend the training for all employees by June 27, 2025.
Ensure that desks and filing cabinets used to store records containing personal information are secured with locks, and that the employees who work at those desks are provided with keys and are instructed to keep records containing personal information reasonably secured at all times.
This recommendation will be integrated into the Department’s Clean Desk Policy and implemented by June 27, 2025. Additionally, the GNWT Enterprise Information Management Handbook includes sections specific to managing and securing paper records. Messaging indicating this will be circulated to Department employees no later than June 27, 2025.
Develop a comprehensive records management policy that provides clear direction to all employees on how to secure paper records containing personal information.
This recommendation will be integrated into the Department’s Clean Desk Policy and implemented by June 27, 2025. Additionally, the GNWT Enterprise Information Management Handbook includes sections specific to managing and securing paper records. Messaging indicating this will be circulated to Department employees no later than June 27, 2025.
Protection of privacy and personal information is of the utmost importance to the Department and the Government of the Northwest Territories. I hope you find this overview of actions taken in response to the Commissioner’s recommendations useful.
