Evidence of meeting #22 for Access to Information, Privacy and Ethics in the 40th Parliament, 2nd Session. (The original version is on Parliament’s site, as are the minutes.) The winning word was privacy.
A recording is available from Parliament.
4:05 p.m.
Privacy Commissioner of Canada, Office of the Privacy Commissioner of Canada
I must say that I haven't had time to look into it. I don't know. I think it's probably fairly rare.
4:05 p.m.
NDP
Bill Siksay NDP Burnaby—Douglas, BC
Do you think that brings a different perspective to your work? Has anyone looked at that question in terms of what difference it would make to your workplace?
4:05 p.m.
Privacy Commissioner of Canada, Office of the Privacy Commissioner of Canada
We should. One of the things we're trying to focus on in terms of making the workplace respond to the needs of younger people is the issue of work-life balance. That is something that I think women have brought to the workplace more than the previous demographic, so I would think the importance of maintaining a healthy work-life balance, accepted by all employees, probably relates to the feminization of the office.
4:05 p.m.
NDP
Bill Siksay NDP Burnaby—Douglas, BC
You mentioned in your statement that you'd done a recruitment video for posting on YouTube. Has it been posted on YouTube or is it yet to be posted?
4:05 p.m.
Privacy Commissioner of Canada, Office of the Privacy Commissioner of Canada
Yes, I believe it has.
May 25th, 2009 / 4:05 p.m.
NDP
Bill Siksay NDP Burnaby—Douglas, BC
Maybe you could send us the link so we can check that out. It would be interesting to see.
You also mentioned the Electronic Commerce Protection Act, Bill C-27. Was one of the standing committees that you appeared before the one where they were considering that proposed legislation?
4:05 p.m.
Privacy Commissioner of Canada, Office of the Privacy Commissioner of Canada
No. I haven't appeared before that committee. I would be very happy to appear before it, because it's an important piece of legislation dealing with spam and the anti-spam initiative, and it's also giving important new discretionary powers to deal with complaints in a discretionary and, I think, a more productive manner.
4:05 p.m.
NDP
Bill Siksay NDP Burnaby—Douglas, BC
Can you say something about how the work of your office would be impacted by that legislation?
4:05 p.m.
Privacy Commissioner of Canada, Office of the Privacy Commissioner of Canada
I hope it would allow my office, certainly in PIPEDA--because it would change PIPEDA, not the Privacy Act--to have more discretion, to be exercised reasonably, of course, to focus on the issues that are new challenges to Canadians or issues for all Canadian.
I would hope that it would allow us to be able to move away from what has seemed to us recently to be highly personalized issues, which often are family issues or issues with employers, and to refer them to a more proper venue, which might be either a court where family or matrimonial proceedings are taking place, or labour arbitration, so that we can concentrate on what would best serve the greatest number of Canadians rather than very particular, highly personalized cases that don't raise new issues.
4:05 p.m.
NDP
Bill Siksay NDP Burnaby—Douglas, BC
If that legislation went ahead, would you see it requiring greater financial support for the commission to do the work of the commission?
4:05 p.m.
Privacy Commissioner of Canada, Office of the Privacy Commissioner of Canada
No. On the contrary, I think that would help us to use our resources more effectively and so, with the same number of resources, give better and faster service.
4:05 p.m.
Conservative
Earl Dreeshen Conservative Red Deer, AB
Thank you, Chair.
Thank you very much for being here today, Commissioner Stoddart and Mr. Pulcine.
I want to start off by going through the main estimates for salaries. I believe we have $13 million. I just want to ask if that is for the 163 or for the 178 you were speaking of.
4:05 p.m.
Privacy Commissioner of Canada, Office of the Privacy Commissioner of Canada
In this fiscal year, the amount of money that would be voted, as I understand, would be for a full complement or a full potential complement.
4:05 p.m.
Privacy Commissioner of Canada, Office of the Privacy Commissioner of Canada
Yes.
4:05 p.m.
Conservative
Earl Dreeshen Conservative Red Deer, AB
Is that the amount one would anticipate in other commissions? Do you think the staff would be getting that same type of salary? Have you any idea?
4:05 p.m.
Privacy Commissioner of Canada, Office of the Privacy Commissioner of Canada
It's hard for me to answer that question, honourable member. All the staff salaries, of course, go according to classification standards. The classification standards are always fixed with an outside review group so that the salary levels stay in line with what is acceptable public practice.
4:10 p.m.
Conservative
Earl Dreeshen Conservative Red Deer, AB
I was going through the number of lawyers in here. Of course, I've always kind of lumped lawyers into the same category, but I notice that you have lawyers 1, lawyers 3A, and lawyers 2. I wonder if you could enlighten us on the differences.
4:10 p.m.
Privacy Commissioner of Canada, Office of the Privacy Commissioner of Canada
Like everybody, lawyers have a kind of scale of progression. I think one of the things the federal government wants to do as an employer is recruit bright young lawyers and then make sure they stay within the federal government by offering them possibilities to progress. So there is an entry level, which is 1A. I think it goes 1A, 1B, 2, 2A, 2B, and then 3. After that I've kind of lost track of it.
4:10 p.m.
Conservative
Earl Dreeshen Conservative Red Deer, AB
But those salaries are also included in what we're talking about there.
4:10 p.m.
Privacy Commissioner of Canada, Office of the Privacy Commissioner of Canada
Yes.
4:10 p.m.
Conservative
Earl Dreeshen Conservative Red Deer, AB
Are there more lawyers in your area than in some of the other commissions?
4:10 p.m.
Privacy Commissioner of Canada, Office of the Privacy Commissioner of Canada
Again, I haven't looked at it, but a lot of the commissions have a legal bent. We certainly need lawyers because we're interpreting two laws. One of the laws is very new and doesn't have a lot of interpretation, so the work of the lawyers is extremely important. Our work is subject to judicial review by the Federal Court, so we have to make sure we're doing everything legally. We may have more lawyers because of our function.
