He has been counsel at McInnes Cooper, a lawyer with the government of Northwest Territories
David Nurse, a lawyer who has worked in the private sector and for provincial governments, took the role of Nova Scotia’s newly appointed freedom of information and protection of privacy (FOIPOP) review officer this week.
According to a news release from the Nova Scotia government, Nurse’s practice has equipped him with deep knowledge of the FOIPOP process. He has owned and operated a law firm and served as counsel at McInnes Cooper. He has also worked as a lawyer with the government of the Northwest Territories and at Nova Scotia’s immigration office and justice department.
Becky Druhan, Nova Scotia’s attorney general and justice minister, welcomed Nurse to the position.
“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,” Druhan said in the provincial government’s news release.
“I am honoured to take on this role,” Nurse said in the news release. “I look forward to serving Nova Scotians in this capacity and to working collaboratively to strengthen transparency and trust in our public institutions.”
Tricia Ralph, Nurse’s predecessor, ended her five-year term on Feb. 28.
As review officer, Nurse assesses access to information requests from individuals and organizations challenging the responses received from provincial public bodies under Nova Scotia’s Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act, Municipal Government Act, or Personal Health Information Act.
His tasks also include handling privacy complaints about these public bodies’ collection, use, and disclosure of personal information under Nova Scotia’s Privacy Review Officer Act.
Carmen Stuart, executive director for Nova Scotia’s Office of the Information and Privacy Commissioner, served as acting review officer under an order in council while the hiring process was ongoing. In the province’s news release, Druhan thanked Stuart for holding the role until Nurse’s appointment.
CBC reported that Nurse’s appointment came in the context of Nova Scotia’s ongoing efforts to review the Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act, which seem to be taking longer than anticipated.
The CBC news story also noted that Nurse’s predecessor expressed concerns that legislation recently passed by the provincial government would allow officials to deny access to information requests that they deem vexatious, frivolous, or not specific enough.
CBC said that Nova Scotia has since introduced changes to the legislation. CBC explained that these amendments deleted the need for specificity and required officials to secure the privacy commissioner’s approval before denying access to information requests.
