Treasury Board says federal departments decide how long government text messages are kept

CALGARY — Federal departments can set their own retention periods for text messages and other electronic records, with no government-wide minimum, according to a Treasury Board response tabled in the House of Commons.Blacklock’s Reporter reported that the response leaves decisions about retaining and disposing of records with individual departments, under the leadership of deputy heads and chief information officers.“Each institution’s chief information officer is responsible for establishing, implementing and maintaining retention periods for all information and data as appropriate,” the Treasury Board wrote. “There is no required retention period.”The response came after Conservative MP Tamara Jansen asked what obligation public servants have to preserve instant messages on government-issued devices when those messages have business value..Treasury Board defends federal executive bonuses despite government spending restraint .A Library and Archives Canada briefing note dated February 12 said messages documenting a decision, action, approval or advice must be retained. Messages that serve only a short-term purpose may be deleted once they are no longer needed.“There was no blanket ‘keep everything’ rule nor a new permission to destroy texts,” the note said.Library and Archives Canada said departments decide which records are transitory, while employees are responsible for managing information they create or receive. The archives agency said it has no control over records destroyed before they are transferred to its custody.The briefing note acknowledged the risk of deleting messages that should be preserved.“Destroying records that document decisions, approvals or accountability can undermine Access to Information obligations, litigation readiness, audits and public trust,” it said.Records from Veterans Affairs Canada showed managers permitted some electronic messages, including chat posts, to be deleted in as little as 15 days. A departmental memo said government policy calls for disposing of transitory material, such as informal chats and drafts, once its purpose has been served.

Treasury Board says federal departments decide how long government text messages are kept

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