You’ve probably heard a lot recently about Bill C-30. It’s technically called the Protecting Children from Internet Predators Act but commonly referred to as the “Lawful Access” Bill. To learn more about this highly controversial law please watch this short video – click here>>
Bill C-30: What’s it all about? (Video)
March 15, 2012
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Government, Lawful Access, Monitoring, Privacy | Tagged: Access to Information, Government, Internet | 
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Posted by Brian Bowman
What’s at stake with Bill C-30 (lawful access)?
March 1, 2012
I was pleased to join CBC Manitoba’s Marcy Markusa last week for a panel debate about the proposed online surveillance Bill during Information Radio’s morning broadcast. Click here to listen to the debate (audio clip – 11:29 in length).
More to follow on this important Bill.
Leave a Comment » | Access to Information, Government, Internet, Lawful Access, Legislation Update, Monitoring, PIPEDA, Privacy, Privacy Commissioner, Privacy Commissioner of Canada | Tagged: Access to Information, Privacy, Workplace Surveillance | Permalink
Posted by Brian Bowman
Discussing Bill C-30 with CityTV Winnipeg (Video)
March 1, 2012
I recently discussed Bill C-30 (lawful access) with host Jeremy John on CityTV’s Breakfast Television Winnipeg. Click here to watch the discussion about this controversial online surveillance Bill.
Leave a Comment » | Access to Information, Government, Internet, Lawful Access, Monitoring, Privacy | Tagged: Access to Information, Internet, Privacy, Privacy Compliance, U.S. Patriot Act | Permalink
Posted by Brian Bowman
Access to Information webinar: Watch now!
January 26, 2011
Thanks to everyone from across Canada who attended today’s Access to Information webinar. If you weren’t able to attend, you can now watch/listen to the webinar here. Topics covered included:
- Overview of access to information 101: the basics
- The 3 vantage points: public bodies, applicants & third parties
- Review of recent cases/headlines
- Identifying key legal and PR landmines
- Discussion of trends in access to information
- Practical tips for managing requests in a cost-effective manner
Leave a Comment » | Access to Information, Government, Ontario's Information and Privacy Commissioner, Redactions, Webinar | Tagged: Access to Information, Corporate Information, Government | Permalink
Posted by Brian Bowman
Anti-Spam Bill moves forward
November 1, 2010
Bill C-28, commonly referred to as the “Fighting Internet and Wireless Spam Act”, went through second reading in the House of Commons last week. The Standing Committee for Industry, Science and Technology will meet tomorrow for further discussions.
Some of my previous posts regarding the anti-spam law can be viewed here. You can find detailed information on this bill, and any other, through LegisInfo, a “collaborative effort of the Parliamentary Information and Research Service and the Information and Document Resource Service of the Library of Parliament”. Stay tuned…
Leave a Comment » | Anti-Spam Legislation, Bill C-28, Government, Legislation Update | Tagged: Anti-Spam Legislation, Legislation | Permalink
Posted by Brian Bowman
Lessons from the Veteran Affairs Canada privacy breach
October 8, 2010
The recent headlines over the Veteran Affairs Canada privacy breach should serve as a useful reminder to all organizations – public and private sector – of the necessity to implement internal policies and procedures for the management of personal information. Much attention is paid these days by the media to privacy breaches that involve external parties, such as hackers, who foil the security safeguards of organizations. However, in my experience the bigger threat to privacy if often from within an organization.
In this recent case involving Veteran Affairs, a veteran had filed a complaint with the Office of the Privacy Commissioner of Canada (“OPC”) alleging that Veterans Affairs had violated the Privacy Act by including excessively detailed and sensitive medical information in briefing notes to the Minister of Veterans Affairs. The complainant also alleged that Veteran Affairs had transferred his medical file to a hospital administered by Veterans Affairs without his consent.
The OPC has issued the following formal recommendations to Veterans Affairs, but they should also serve as useful recommendations to other organizations:
- “Take immediate steps to develop an enhanced privacy policy framework with adequate protections and controls to regulate access to personal information within the department.
- Revise existing information-management practices and policies to ensure that personal information is shared within the department on a need-to-know basis only. Personal information, including but not limited to sensitive medical information, should not be shared with programs that have no operational requirements for access to such information.
- Provide training for employees about appropriate personal information-handling practices.
- Review procedures to ensure that consent is obtained prior to personal information being transferred to veterans’ hospitals.”
Leave a Comment » | Access to Information, Data Protection, Due Diligence, Government, Privacy, Privacy Breach, Privacy Commissioner of Canada, Safeguarding, Safekeeping, Security Breach, Training | Tagged: Access to Information, Due Diligence, Personal Information, Privacy Commissioner, Privacy Compliance, Safeguarding | Permalink
Posted by Brian Bowman
Privacy Commissioner of Canada releases Annual Report on Privacy Act
October 5, 2010
Canada’s Privacy Commissioner, Jennifer Stoddart, released her 2009 – 2010 Annual Report to Parliament on the Privacy Act today. In her Annual Report, Stoddart says that “[t]he federal government’s use of handheld communications devices and its practices for disposing of unneeded paper documents and surplus computers could expose the personal information of Canadians to unauthorized disclosure”.
Key lessons for the private sector from today’s Annual Report include, among other things, (1) a reminder of the need to assess the threats/risks inherent in wireless communications and to fill any gaps in policies and/or practices related to smart phones, Wi-Fi networks and data stored on mobile devices and (2) ensuring that policies and procedures are in place for paper shredding and the disposal of surplus computer equipment.
Read the full Annual Report here>>.
Leave a Comment » | Government, Mobile devices, Privacy, Privacy Commissioner of Canada | Tagged: Government, Privacy Commissioner | Permalink
Posted by Brian Bowman
Big Brother watching, but we don’t care
September 3, 2010
Canadians are concerned about their privacy, right? I know, because they tell me so on Facebook. Go figure.
On one hand, we say we care about our privacy. And then we engage in activities, especially online, that compromise our privacy. So are we privacy hawks or, in this age of social media, do we believe privacy is dead? Actually, the answer is somewhere in between. Read more HERE>>
Leave a Comment » | Facebook, Government, Privacy, Social Networking Websites, Video Surveillance, Youth | Permalink
Posted by Brian Bowman
The NDP’s decade of dithering on e-commerce
July 9, 2010
Have you ever wondered if an electronic document like an e-mail or a scanned image can be used instead of a paper document to meet a legal requirement? How about using an electronic signature as opposed to a written signature?
Unfortunately, the provincial government’s dithering over the past decade will not help you answer these important questions.
Manitoba’s e-commerce legislation, called The Electronic Commerce and Information Act, was passed in the Manitoba Legislature in 2000. It was then billed as a cutting edge law that would help Manitobans to prosper in the online world.
Leave a Comment » | Government, Internet, Online Shopping, Sale Transactions, Technology | Tagged: E-mail, Government, Internet, Technology | Permalink
Posted by Brian Bowman
NDP dragging its heels on our privacy
February 5, 2010
It’s safe to say that the Alberta provincial government is regarded as being right wing. But Manitoba’s? Not at all. So why then is Alberta light years ahead of Manitoba at protecting workers’ privacy?
The above link takes you to the Winnipeg Sun. I’m delighted to have been asked by Sun Media Corp. to provide Comment columns like today’s on a monthly basis. I hope you find them of interest!
Leave a Comment » | Employee Monitoring, Government, Identity Theft, Personal Information, PIPA, PIPEDA, Privacy, Privacy Commissioner | Tagged: Employees, Government, Identity Theft, Manitoba, Personal Information | Permalink
Posted by Brian Bowman
