Thank you very much, Mr. Long. I appreciate that.
I'll take the round for the Conservatives for the next five minutes, if that's okay with my colleagues.
As a former IT professional, I understand completely what you're saying when you say that data is the most valuable corporate asset. That's been the way of the information age for quite some time, and now, as you've said, data is becoming more valuable than oil, which is interesting.
Mr. Smith, I'm going to you, because I'm going to follow up on what Mr. Long's question was. Data is becoming very, very useful. Actually, it's information that is more useful. Data is raw facts, whereas information is actually coalesced information that's of value and is of use.
Here's my question for you, Mr. Smith. You have been very clear that it's the data, the de-identified data that predicts trends and so on, that a particular user or group of users in a certain age group—or a certain whatever—might be interested in, so that we can have predictive modelling for the purposes of sales and business. I don't think most people have a problem with that.
I actually like the fact that my iPad from time to time knows what I'm thinking more than I do. That's okay, but for a Fitbit, what about the fact that if a Fitbit and its information about sleep patterns, a resting heart rate, and any other health information gleaned from that Fitbit were to get into the hands of a prospective employer prior to an interview? What if it wasn't de-identified, we actually knew who that individual was, and it became an issue, much like the genetic discrimination bill that we just passed in Parliament? What if it became an issue that was keeping somebody from getting a prospective job? Perhaps that Fitbit is measuring their weight and other habits they have that might predispose somebody to prejudice when that person is applying for a job.
I would be interested to see what the point of view might be from Mr. Hogarth and Mr. Smith on this.