Dear Members,
On behalf of the National Privacy & Access Law Section, I would like to wish you all a Happy New Year!
The Section held its annual Access to Information & Privacy Law Symposium on Oct. 28-29, 2016. The Symposium was a wonderful opportunity to get caught up on the latest trends in Canadian and global privacy and access to information law, international updates, topical breakout sessions, and insights from cross-country privacy regulators. We would like to thank all the volunteers who made the Symposium a success. Planning is already underway for the Fall 2017 Symposium. If you are interested in being part of the planning committee or would like to get involved with the Section, please contact Crystal Lam.
Please take a moment to take a look through our recent and upcoming Section initiatives as well as upcoming provincial events, found below. There will be many opportunities for you to get informed and involved in 2017!
Sincerely,
Loïc Berdnikoff
Chair, National Privacy & Access Law Section
Recap of Fall 2016 Section Activities
- The Executive held its annual in-person meeting at the end of October to prepare for the year ahead. During this meeting, we met with the Information Commissioner of Canada as well as the Privacy Commissioner of Canada to discuss their progress on recent initiatives and priorities for 2017.
- The Section also met with representatives from the Department of Justice Canada to discuss ongoing and expected legislative activities.
- A submission was made on Bill C-22 (Parliamentary oversight of certain federal agencies with access to information/privacy implications) before Parliament’s Standing Committee on Access to Information, Privacy and Ethics.
- The Section also made a submission and appeared before the Standing Committee on Access to Information, Privacy and Ethics on amendments to the federal Privacy Act.
Ongoing Section Activities and Submissions
- A working group was created to begin discussions in anticipation of our submission on PIPEDA’s 5-year review.
- Anticipated submissions on modernizing the federal ATIA
- The Section is considering the stance on the Political Parties & Elections Act, which is soon scheduled for debate before the Standing Committee.
- Developing an online resource to support strategic advocacy initiatives for legislative change on privacy and access issues in Canadian jurisdictions. Please provide Crystal Lam with examples of successful advocacy strategies used in your jurisdiction.
- Contribute to Section articles that fall under our mandate.
Upcoming Events
Manitoba
Jan. 20: Register for an in-person session on hot topics in tech and security, including a review of recent privacy law developments.
Nova Scotia
Jan. 27: Participate in a discussion about online privacy rights in litigation, particularly in the context of online gambling and pornography sites. Contact Jill Thomson for more information.
Alberta
Jan. 30: Participate in a discussion on the Supreme Court of Canada’s long awaited decision on solicitor-client privilege, Alberta (Information and Privacy Commissioner) v. University of Calgary, and the case’s impact on access to information requests. Contact Lorne Randa for more information.
Feb. 23: Hear from Alberta’s Information and Privacy Commissioner, Jill Clayton. Contact Lorne Randa for more information (in-person session).
New Brunswick
Feb. 4: Attend a French only session titled Using Privacy Law in Your Practice: As a Sword and a Shield!
Ontario
Feb. 8: Register for the OBA session titled Privacy breaches and the standard of care.