CBA LAW SERIES - FALL 2017

Presented by the CBA Privacy and Access Law Section

Solicitor-Client Privilege Reaffirmed: What It Means for Access to Information

The Supreme Court of Canada (SCC) recently confirmed its robust protection of solicitor-client privilege in Alberta (Information and Privacy Commissioner) v. University of Calgary [Alberta]. This decision sets a high standard that requires “clear and unequivocal” legislative language in order for a regulator to compel the production of documents subject to solicitor-client privilege. 
 
The Alberta decision has important implications for access to information legislation across Canada because federal and provincial laws are worded differently. This webinar will provide an analysis of the Alberta decision and its application in different jurisdictions. It will also explore legislative amendments that may be considered and how regulators are adjusting their practices, including  protocols for handing records over which solicitor-client privilege is claimed.
 
Topics will include:
•    The scope of the Alberta decision and how it should be interpreted and/or applied in other jurisdictions
•    Other recent Supreme Court of Canada decisions on solicitor-client privilege
•    Practical considerations for access to information practitioners 
•    Open government implications

PRESENTERS