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May 09, 2012
On April 30, 2012, the National Archival Development Program by Library and Archives Canada (LAC) eliminated the National Archival Development Program (NADP), a $1.7 million contribution program administered by the non-for-profit Canadian Council of Archives (CCA) for LAC and distributed to Canada’s 13 archives councils to support archival activities locally. Through the councils, NADP funding is on the ground in our 10 provinces and 3 territories, ensuring that Canada’s history is preserved in local communities. Canada’s archival councils provide user-centered services, providing support to archives and archivists so that they may better serve all Canadians.
A one-of-a-kind program, NADP’s goal is to assist in the preservation and accessibility of Canada’s archival heritage through the following
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May 09, 2012
Results of a November 2011 survey conducted by the Office of the Privacy Commissioner of Canada (OPC) and published on May 4 revealed that Canadian businesses are not doing enough to protect digitally stored personal information. In the telephone survey, the OPC interviewed 1,006 Canadian companies and found that while nearly three-fourths are using some kind of technology to prevent unauthorized access to their digital information, they should be doing a better job. For example, according to an OPC news release, passwords were found to be the most popular method of data protection, but 39% of businesses do not have controls to ensure the passwords are difficult to guess. The survey also revealed that just 32% of businesses have trained their staff on appropriate information practices under Canadian privacy law.
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The Office of the Privacy Commissioner of Canada
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May 09, 2012
The Office of the Privacy Commissioner of Canada (OPC) announced the recipients of its 2012-2013 Contributions Program were awarded $500,000 for 11 independent research and awareness projects. Privacy Commissioner Jennifer Stoddart said, "By supporting privacy research, my office is encouraging the exploration of complex privacy issues as well as the development of information and tools to help Canadians make informed decisions about protecting their personal information." According to the announcement, the project touches on all four of the OPC's policy priorities, including identity integrity and privacy; information technology and privacy; genetic information and privacy; and public safety and privacy.
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The Office of the Privacy Commissioner of Canada
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May 09, 2012
The Brandon Sun reported that the group of Ontario pharmacists seeking an injunction to prevent Zellers pharmacies from selling patient records as part of a sales agreement has lost its bid. According to the article, the pharmacists are worried about patient confidentiality being compromised, but a judge said Zellers owns the records and has the right to sell them. The judge also noted that the retailer, which is closing its 144 pharmacies as part of its sale to U.S.-based Target, says it will honor patient-file transfer requests.
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By: The Canadian Press
The Brandon Sun
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May 09, 2012
According to an article in the Vancouver Sun, Liberal Member of the Legislative Assembly and former health minister Colin Hansen says that Bill 35, which was introduced in late March, would help cut medical costs and improve treatment. The bill has been promoted as a way to decrease the cost of generic drugs, but privacy advocates are concerned that because it also revises the rules allowing researchers to access personal health information stored by the provincial government, it would violate individuals’ privacy rights.Vincent Gogolek, executive director of the B.C. Freedom of Information and Privacy Association, warned that the bill is being pushed through without allowing for public discussion, and British Columbia Information and Privacy Commissioner Elizabeth Denham stated that privacy safeguards and information-sharing limits are missing from the legislation.
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By Craig McInnes, Vancouver Sun
Vancouver Sun
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May 09, 2012
Calgary Police Service detective Gerard Brand was arrested May 2 for allegedly using police databases to gather personal details on at least 10 individuals and exchanging it for cash from a financial institution. According to the Vancouver Sun, Brand was charged with breach of trust and unauthorized use of a computer.The article noted that Brand was charged just days after Alberta's Office of the Information and Privacy Commissioner said security experts with Calgary police broke privacy legislation by snooping in a civilian employee's personal e-mail account. Police spokesman Kevin Brookwell confirmed the incident, but said the case is rare. "Every member of our service knows that accessing databases is for police use only. Every member knows that use is monitored and audited."
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By Deborah Tetley, Postmedia News
Vancouver Sun
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April 11, 2012
A Toronto couple received at their residence an envelope containing three bundles of sensitive documents that were intended to be sent to a Service Canada government building with the same street address in London, Ont.
According to the article in the Globe and Mail, the envelope was mis-delivered because the couple’s postal code, rather than the correct one for the London street address, was handwritten under the label.
The package was marked “internal” and did not display the couple’s name, but they opened it because it displayed their address. After discovering the confidential documents, the couple immediately turned in the package at the nearest Service Canada office.
The error is the second Service Canada breach this year. Now the department is investigating the incident to see how it might be prevented in the future.
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Globe and Mail
Globe and Mail
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April 11, 2012
The Herald News reported that Canadian Privacy Commissioner Jennifer Stoddart and her provincial counterparts are warning that a new border security deal with the United States could breach Canadian citizens' privacy.
The agreement for increased sharing of security details is part of a larger deal to increase trade by merging and standardizing both countries’ rules so, for example, inspections made in one country would qualify in the other. According to the article, Canadian privacy officials say data stored on U.S. servers would be at risk because some U.S. privacy laws are weaker than Canada’s. Stoddart fears that the deal could result in Canadians' private data being shared with the United States secretly, and it could fall under the control of a foreign jurisdiction.
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Paul Mcleod
Ottawa Bureau
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April 11, 2012
A study conducted in March by the risk and security management nonprofit group ISACA revealed that nearly 60% of smartphone users acquire geolocation apps, but they also expressed privacy and safety concerns. According to an article in PC World, the study polled 1,000 smartphone users and found the greatest concerns for users were advertisers’ access to their data and possible risks to their personal safety.
The article noted that experts suggest that the lure of interesting or useful technology may overwhelm consumers’ skepticism, but while these apps may be useful, it’s important for users to understand and control how their information is being used.
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Cameron Scott
IDG News
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April 11, 2012
The Vancouver Sun reported that University of Ottawa professor Amir Attaran filed a grievance over the school’s release of research-related expense reports containing his personal information in response to an order from Ontario’s information and privacy commissioner.
According to the article, Attaran has frequently battled the federal Conservative government in court to get access to documents related to Afghan detainees’ treatment, and he suspected that the order was politically motivated. He asked the university to halt turnover of the records, expressing that “the defence of confidential information, within the limits prescribed by law, is a cornerstone of the academic freedom to conduct research.”
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Andrew Duffy
Postmedia News
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