The Honourable Derek Bennett, Speaker of the House of Assembly, advises that Jacqueline Lake Kavanagh is appointed the acting Information and Privacy Commissioner, effective today (May 6, 2024), until such time as the position is permanently filled in accordance with the Access to Information and Protection of Privacy Act, 2015 (the Act). Ms. Lake Kavanagh served previously as the Child and Youth Advocate from 2016 to 2021. The vacancy in the position is the result of the resignation of Michael Harvey, effective May 5, 2024.
The Speaker also advises that a selection committee for the permanent appointment of Information and Privacy Commissioner has been established in accordance with Section 85(3) of the Access to Information and Protection of Privacy Act, 2015. The Committee comprises Krista Quinlan, Clerk of the Executive Council; Kim Hawley George, K.C., acting Clerk of the House of Assembly; the Honourable Robin Fowler, Chief Judge of the Provincial Court of Newfoundland and Labrador; and Dr. Neil Bose, President and Vice-Chancellor pro tempore of Memorial University of Newfoundland.
The Committee’s mandate is to develop a roster of qualified candidates for submission to the Speaker. In accordance with Section 85(6) of the Act, the Speaker is required to consult with the Premier, the Leader of the Official Opposition and the representative of the Third Party on the Management Commission before a resolution is brought to the House of Assembly appointing one of the individuals named on the roster as the Commissioner.
The Committee is being supported by the Public Service Commission. To facilitate the development of a roster of qualified candidates, the Committee is accepting applications for the position until May 20, 2024.
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“I wish to extend thanks to Ms. Lake Kavanagh for stepping in to fill this critical role on an interim basis until the process for selection and appointment of a permanent Information and Privacy Commissioner is carried out. Her extensive executive experience, particularly as a former statutory officer, will be a valuable asset to this office in the interim. I also wish to extend appreciation to outgoing Commissioner, Michael Harvey, for his service in that role and wish him well in his new assignment in British Columbia.”
Honourable Derek Bennett, MHA
Speaker of the House of Assembly
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Section 85(3) – Access to Information and Protection of Privacy Act, 2015
Job Posting – Information and Privacy Commissioner