Informal Request for ATI Records Previously Released

Organization: Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada

Year: 2025

Month: January

Request Number: 2A-2023-76702

Request Summary: With regards to the use of exemption 16(2)(c) in the processing of Access to information requests it was invoked 112 times in FY2020, 15,804 times in FY2021, 85,566 in FY2022 and 222 in FY2023. These exemptions with regards to clients immigration files were primarily used to withhold the "history section" of the GCMS file. Initially the "history section" was withheld citing a "system glitch" and was addressed by the IRCC ATIP staff in at least one of the email chains with the subject "Use of ATIA s16(2)(c)/ PA 12(1) to address System Glitch". At the same time a complaint was submitted to OIC (https://www.oic-ci.gc.ca/en/decisions/final-reports/immigration-refugees-and-citizenship-canada-re-2022-oic-01) and OIC's decision stated that IRCC was not justified in withholding the substance and contents of the redacted field under paragraph 16(2)(c). After that decision IRCC stopped citing 16(2)(c) to withhold the "history section" of the GCMS file. Instead, IRCC made a change to simply not provide that information and neither cite an exemption. Please provide final copies of email chains, memo's or any other documents that would explain IRCC's motivation to make changes to how it processes GCMS requests with regards to the history section. Omitting the "history section" without explanation raises concerns about a lack of transparency. This lack of transparency necessitates further inquiry.

Disposition: Disclosed in part

Number of pages: 145

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