Confidential Information and Governments: Balancing the Public's Right to Access Government Records and an Oil and Gas Company's Right to Protect Confidential Information

Authors

Stephen Burns, Bennett Jones
Todd Newhook, Nalcor Energy
Sébastien Gittens, Bennett Jones

Keywords

access, records, oil, gas, confidential information, legislation, policy

Abstract

This paper explores the relationship between the public's right to access records in the custody or under the control of the government with the oil and gas industry's need to protect its confidential information from disclosure. Focusing on practical issues, the authors review the law of confidence, the structure of the access to information legislation and related case law, the public policy considerations supporting same, and some of the risks and pitfalls that organizations can avoid if they consider such legislation when interacting with public bodies.

Recommended Citation

Stephen Burns, Todd Newhook, and Sébastien Gittens, "Confidential Information and Governments: Balancing the Public's Right to Access Government Records and an Oil and Gas Company's Right to Protect Confidential Information" (2014) 37:1 Dal LJ 119.