Thank you, Chair.
Good morning, Professor.
I want to focus not on the device itself and the software attached to it—which is the focus of this committee hearing—but rather on the broader issue of privacy. You spoke in general terms about this being a fundamental human right. It has been a fundamental right in Canada since 1977.
I'd like to get your expert opinion, sir, on the disastrous ArriveCAN app, which has just been revealed to be an abuse of taxpayer dollars of over $60 million.
Think back, if you can, to the time when the ArriveCAN app was heavily promoted by this government. It was the way to go in terms of dealing with COVID and trying to protect Canadians, etc. There's a portion in the preamble when you sign up for the ArriveCAN app that I'd like your opinion on. The title is “How your information is used and disclosed”. It says:
Personal information may be disclosed to contractors working for the Public Health Agency of Canada and Service Canada as well as to the following entities: other government institutions, as well as provincial, territorial, municipal governments or international health organizations as well as their institutions for these purposes.
Personal information may also be used for program evaluation. In other limited and specific circumstances, personal information may be used and/or disclosed without consent in accordance with section 7 and subsection 8(2) of the Privacy Act.
It looks like tens of millions of Canadians who were forced by the Trudeau government to sign up for the ArriveCAN app had their personal information wildly—