Thank you again, Mr. Speaker. I move, seconded by the honourable Member for Nahendeh, that Bill 27, An Act to Amend the Access to Information and Protection of Privacy Act, be read for the second time.
Mr. Speaker, this bill amends the Access to Information and Protection of Privacy Act to provide further powers to the Information and Privacy Commissioner related to his or her review of complaints regarding access to information made under this act. He or she will have the power to summon witnesses and to require the witness to give evidence. The bill includes a more direct appeal mechanism to the Supreme Court, that will apply if, after reviewing the complaint about access to information, the Information and Privacy Commissioner concurs with the decision to act or failure to act by the head of a public body. Change is also made so that failure by the head of a public body to make a decision within 30 days after receiving the report and recommendations from the Information and Privacy Commissioner will be deemed to be a decision to refuse to follow the recommendations. There is a provision allowing a person to appeal a deemed decision of the head of a public body to the Supreme Court.
Finally, changes are included to enable the Information and Privacy Commissioner to review complaints respecting whether a public body has collected, used or disclosed a person's personal information in contravention of the privacy requirements in the act. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.