In the strategic statement that we published last week and that I will forward to the committee, we talked about three priorities.
The first is modernizing the office and maximizing its impact through new legislation. At the very least, if there is no new legislation, we will have to examine how to protect privacy as much as possible.
The second is technology. We have to get ahead of technology or at least keep up with the pace of developments. That is a big challenge because we can see that people are increasingly adopting it. People like technology, use it and see its benefits. So we have to make sure that their privacy is considered and protected.
The third is protecting children's privacy. This is a very challenging area. It impacts their mental health, their reputation and their data. So there is work to be done in this regard and we will be focusing on these areas.
Internationally, there is also the issue of protecting data that flows across borders.
In short, by focusing on technology and trying to anticipate its trends and uses, and by focusing on children and their privacy, we will be focusing on the future. That is why we will be focusing on these areas. We are also open to recommendations the committee might have for us on other matters.
For my part, I take a broad view: We want to make the most of innovation and technology for the many advantages they offer in multiple fields. Mr. Green talked about the use of technology in health care, and it can also be helpful in sports and music. It can be beneficial and we must not refuse everything. Yet I do not want Canadians to have to make a choice between the advantages of technology and maintaining their privacy. They should not have to make that choice and the burden should not be entirely on individuals. I want Canadians to feel and know that institutions are there to protect them and advise them.