Privacy & Information Security Law Blog

On May 28, 2014, Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper nominated Daniel Therrien as the next Privacy Commissioner of Canada. If approved, Therrien would take over from the interim Privacy Commissioner Chantal Bernier, who has been serving in this role after the previous Commissioner Jennifer Stoddart’s term ended in December 2013.

On May 23, 2013, the Office of the Privacy Commissioner of Canada (“OPC”) issued a position paper (the “Paper”) proposing revisions to the Personal Information Protection and Electronic Documents Act (“PIPEDA”) to better align PIPEDA with the risks facing a modern information economy. Privacy Commissioner of Canada Jennifer Stoddart addressed the release of the Paper in her remarks at the IAPP Canada Privacy Symposium, stating that “[i]t is increasingly clear that the law is not up to the task of meeting the challenges of today – and certainly not those of tomorrow.” According to the Paper, the surge in the collection, availability and use of personal data has upset the balance between the privacy rights of individuals and the legitimate needs of businesses originally struck by PIPEDA. In response, the Paper proposes four general revisions to PIPEDA:

On October 15, 2012, Privacy Commissioner of Canada Jennifer Stoddart and the Federal Commissioner for Data Protection and Freedom of Information in Germany, Peter Schaar, signed an agreement to increase intra-authority collaboration between their organizations. The agreement covers the exchange of information between the two data protection authorities, for example by informing each other of pending complaints. Notably, the agreement also addresses coordination between the DPAs with respect to their supervision of international data processing activities.

Adam Kardash from Heenan Blaikie LLP in Canada reports that Jennifer Stoddart has been nominated for reappointment as Privacy Commissioner of Canada for a three-year term.  The nomination will be tabled in the House of Commons for consideration and is widely expected to be accepted.

Marty Abrams, Executive Director of the Centre for Information Policy Leadership at Hunton & Williams LLP, said, “Commissioner Stoddart has been a key leader in bringing data protection into the 21st century.”

Ms. Stoddart has served as Privacy Commissioner since December 2003.

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On November 10, 2010, the American Bar Association’s Section of Antitrust Law’s International Committee and Corporate Counseling Committee hosted a webinar on “Regulating Privacy Across Borders in the Digital Age: An Emerging Global Consensus or Vive la Difference?”.  A panel of senior officials and private sector experts provided insights on emerging cross-border data privacy and security issues.  Hunton & Williams partner Lisa Sotto was tapped to moderate an outstanding panel which included Billy Hawkes, Commissioner, Office of the Data Protection Commissioner ...

Pursuant to a public complaint, on January 27, 2010, the Privacy Commissioner of Canada announced a new investigation into Facebook.  The investigation concerns the social networking site’s introduction of a tool that required its users to review their privacy settings in December 2009.  According to the complaint, Facebook’s new default settings allegedly made some users’ information more accessible than previously had been the case.  Elizabeth Denham, the Assistant Privacy Commissioner, indicated “[s]ome Facebook users are disappointed by certain changes being ...

On January 18, 2010, the Privacy Commissioner of Canada, Jennifer Stoddart, announced a public consultation to examine the privacy issues associated with online tracking, profiling and targeting of consumers.  The Commissioner noted that the consultation will “provide a forum for the exploration of the privacy implications related to this modern industry practice, and the protections that Canadians expect.”  The consultation marks the first in a series to review emerging technologies that are likely to have a considerable impact on consumer privacy.  The announcement of a ...