Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Review Officer Appointed

Nova Scotia has appointed lawyer David Nurse as the Province’s new Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy (FOIPOP) Review Officer.

Mr. Nurse has deep knowledge of the FOIPOP process, gained while working in government and as a private-sector lawyer.

“I am pleased to welcome Mr. Nurse to this important role,” said Becky Druhan, Attorney General and Minister of Justice. “His broad range of experience makes him an excellent fit to deliver the crucial mandate of upholding Nova Scotians’ right to access information while safeguarding their personal and private data. I also want to thank executive director Carmen Stuart for serving as acting privacy review officer until Mr. Nurse was appointed.”

The review officer is responsible for reviewing access to information requests from people and organizations who are dissatisfied with the response they received from a public body under the Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act, the Municipal Government Act, or the Personal Health Information Act.

The review officer also considers privacy complaints regarding the collection, use and disclosure of personal information by provincial public bodies under the Privacy Review Officer Act.

Mr. Nurse’s past positions have included roles with the Nova Scotia government at the Office of Immigration and the Department of Justice, owning and operating a law firm, and serving as a lawyer with the Government of the Northwest Territories.

Mr. Nurse starts work this week. He takes over from Tricia Ralph, whose five-year term ended on February 28.

Quotes:

“I am honoured to take on this role. I look forward to serving Nova Scotians in this capacity and to working collaboratively to strengthen transparency and trust in our public institutions.”
— David Nurse, Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Review Officer

Quick Facts:

• Nova Scotia’s access and privacy laws apply to all government departments and agencies, municipalities and municipal bodies, hospitals, health authorities, universities and colleges

Additional Resources:

Office of the Information and Privacy Commissioner: https://oipc.novascotia.ca/