I understand your point. I think the point they're trying to make is that the vast majority of nations in the world do not have privacy legislation like we have or anything comparable, so there would be numerous examples of countries that might just throw up their hands and say “Sorry, we're not interested.” Then when you have to debate whether we fulfill the Privacy Act or whether we protect and secure Canadian citizens, it's not a difficult debate in their minds. So I think there is more discussion that needs to happen on that front.
I want to draw to your attention—and perhaps you're not familiar with this particular decision—that there was a case, Murdoch v. Canada, specifically the RCMP, in 2005, where the RCMP wrongfully disclosed personal information about an individual to their employer. Mr. Murdoch took this case to court, and the court found that the Privacy Act did not allow for Mr. Murdoch to claim damages for this breach of privacy.
Do your recommendations suggest that individuals like Mr. Murdoch should have an opportunity to seek damages under these circumstances?