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Multi-Institutional Disposition Authorities (MIDA)

3.1 Appendix II - Functional Profile
of the General Administration Function of the Government of Canada

The purpose of the Functional Profile is to facilitate the application of the Terms and Conditions (Appendix I) relating to the disposition of common administrative records created, collected or maintained by the Government of Canada in support of the General Administration Function. It consists of a template describing the three sub-functions associated with general administration, each sub-function further sub-divided into tasks, activities and processes, as appropriate.

1.  Management of Government Information

This sub-function generally encompasses the business processes and activities which produce records created by government institutions within the context of the life cycle of information, that is from its creation, organization, retrieval, use, access, storage, and protection, to its disposal. More specifically, this sub-function includes ten core programmes or activities which are common to all government institutions: Access to Information; Protection of Privacy; Records Management, including the Essential Records Programme; Management of Technology; Library Services; Correspondence Management; Forms Management; Manuals Management; Mail and Messenger Services; and Photocopying and Printing Services.

• Access to Information and Privacy

This programme/activity generally includes the business processes and activities which produce records created by government institutions in relation to the administration of the Access to Information Act and Privacy Act. More specifically, it includes individual requests for access to records under the acts.

• Records Management

This programme/activity generally includes the business processes and activities which produce records created by government institutions to manage their corporate records. More specifically, it includes the essential records programme, and the micrographic and imaging programs, and comprises elements such as developing, adopting and implementing classification systems; procedures and techniques for maintaining records; records inventories and records disposition authorities; it excludes the actual records that are designated as essential and which must be covered by Institution-Specific Disposition Authorities, and the actual records which are microfilmed or imaged.

• Management of Technology

This programme/activity generally includes the business processes and activities which produce records created by government institutions relating exclusively to common administrative functions for the management of technology. More specifically, it includes electronic systems development, maintenance, and technical assistance for office systems and databases that support common administrative functions; it excludes activities or records that support operational functions or operational automated information systems, or any mixture of operational and administrative functions.

• Library Services

This programme/activity generally includes the business processes and activities which produce records created by government institutions relating to the delivery of library services, sometimes referred to as documentation or reference services. It excludes the activities and records which form the actual intellectual holdings of these libraries, documentation, or reference centres. The disposal of "grey literature" and other reference support materials, including pamphlets, unpublished reports (no ISBN number), various media such as posters and films, may be the subject of another Multi-Institutional Disposition Authority.

• Other Information Management Activities and Services

This programme/activity generally includes the business processes and activities which produce records created by government institutions relating to correspondence management; forms management; manuals management; mail and messenger services; photocopying and printing services.

2.  Security

This sub-function generally encompasses the business processes and activities which produce records created by government institutions relating to the primary components of security such as classification and designation, security and risk management, control of access, personnel security, safeguards and security breaches and violations. More specifically, this sub-function includes the classification of sensitive information in the national interest; the administration of security clearances on government employees and contractors; all aspects of physical security related to sensitive or classified information; the secure handling of information assets; it excludes the activities and records of those security and investigative institutions whose legislative mandate relates to subversive activities, or the investigation of such activities.

3.  Administrative Support

This sub-function generally encompasses the business processes and activities which produce records created by government institutions relating to the most routine aspects of the General Administration Function. More specifically, it includes the management of travel and parking; telecommunication services; and administrative support services such as word processing, stenographic, and translation services.

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