10/11/2024 | Press release | Distributed by Public on 10/11/2024 13:14
October 11, 2024
Gatineau, Quebec
Privacy Commissioner of Canada Philippe Dufresne today issued the following statement regarding a new report from the Standing Committee on Access to Information, Privacy and Ethics (ETHI) on its study into the federal government's use of technological tools capable of extracting personal data from mobile devices and computers:
I welcome the committee's report, which confirms the importance of amending the Privacy Act to ensure that privacy implications are appropriately considered and addressed as technologies are increasingly changing the ways in which personal information is collected, used and disclosed by federal institutions.
The committee supports the need for new legal obligations for federal institutions that would better protect and promote Canadians' fundamental right to privacy. These measures would also serve to foster trust in government institutions.
Privacy Act reform is a pressing need, as the legislation has not been significantly updated since it was passed 40 years ago.
The committee report supports the need for a number of critical measures that I have advocated for, including:
Amending the Privacy Act to:
Office of the Privacy Commissioner of Canada
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